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OF THE

Theological Seminary,

PRINCETON, N. J.
Case, ^---^^-'■^^'....Pjvis'on . .

SheJf, ^ I ^^ Sect'o n

Book, Vl.-^! No,

A bONATION

FROM

Keceiued xt^

'«»«it^.^.1P

■P^^ i^»''^ •. '*s%^-. 'yV ;.X

mii0k^^^^

COLLECTION

O F

SERMONS

O N

Several Subjects.

P R E A c H ' D,

Some by the Rev. Ebenezer Erskine, M. A.

Miniiler of the Oofpel at Sterling-,

AND

Others by the Rev. Ralph Erskine, M. A.
Minifter of the Gofpel at Dumfermlin, and
Author of the Gospel-Sonnets.

WITH A SHORT

Recommendatory Preface.

VOL. IIL

LONDON:

Printed for John Oswald, at the Rofe and Crown in the
Poultry^ near the Manjion-Houfe. MDCCL.

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Thcfe Authors other Sermons and Works: Sold altogether

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THE

PREFACE.

^ B ^ H E general acceptance, which the other
two volumes of thefe Reverend and wor-

thy Brethren's fermons have met with,
among ferious and experienced chriflians, to
whom they have been remarkably ufeful, encou-
rages the publifhing this third volume j v/hich
for the fweet variety of purpofes contained in it,
the judicious and grave way of treating of them,
and the clofe pathetick manner in which they are
applied to the confciences both of faints and fin-
ners, is nothing inferior, yea, in the judgment of
fome, preferable to the other two.

Any recommendation from a mean and in-
confiderable hand, is altogether needlefs to fuch
as know the authors or their writings : for I think
it may be faid, with the ftrid:ell regard to truth,
that their praife in the gofpel, is now fpread a-
broad throughout the churches of Chrift in jBr/-
fmn^ Ireland and America 'y and they have obtained
the beft epiftle of commendation, even a tefti-
mony in the confciences of not a few of the chil-
dren of God, who have reafon to blefs I-is name,
for the great fpiritual benefit and advantage they
have reaped, by the perufal of the valuable
labours of thefe his fervants ; on whom he has
beftowed fuch eminent-minifterial gifts and abi-
lities.

PREFACE.

If ever there was an age that needed fuch
difcourfes as thefe, it is the one we hve in ; in
which there are fo many unflable profeflbrs of
religion on the one hand, who are tolled to and
:fTo with every wind of dodtrine, ever learning
and never coming to the knowledge of the truth,
but fondly running after every opinion that fa-
vours of novelty ; and on the other hand, many,
too too many, who pretend to be fixed in the
belief of the truths of the gofpel, and in their
talk magnify the doctrines of free grace, whofe
lives are yet a fcandal and a reproach, to the
holy profeffion of that worthy name by which
they are called. — In which fome are fond, al-
moft to diftradiion, of the opinion, that they can
by their own moral powers, work out a righteouf-
nefs of their own, and by their own religious per-
formances, recommend themfelves to the favour
and friendlliip of God. And others, tho' they
are not wholly of this opinion, yet partly embrace
it, while they imagine, that through the merits
of Chriil and the mercy of God, their fincere
though imperfcdt obedience, iliall be accepted as
their juftifying righteoufnefs. — In which others
own readily they can do nothing, are wholly un-
able of themfelves for any thing that is good,
and indeed do as little j but jull make their or-
thodox notions of things a pillow for lloth, and
fo . lull themfelves alleep. In which many of the
children of God themfelves, are too Hack in giving
dilligence to make their calling and eled:ion fure ;
and through carelefs walking and an unwatchful
frame, are often oppreiTed with unbelieving doubts
and fears : and on the other hand, many vain,
conceited profelTors of religion, who pretend to
have attained to what 'tis to be feared tiiey know

nothing

PRE FACE.

nothing of, an evidence of which, is their proud
boafting of their unfhaken conftant aflurance,
that God loved them from eternity, and Chrift
died for them in particular, and their rigidly judg^
ing and condemning all who have not come up
to their meafure of affurance, (I had almoft faid
groundlefs confidence) and yet can allow them-
felves at the fame time to be loofe and carelefs,
if not pofitively immoral in their walk.

These difcourfes are calculated, for meeting
with all thefe forts of perfons : for here are no
new fangled opinions, fit to amufe them who
have too much of the Athenian difpofition ; on
the contrary, they prefent us with the plain fub-
ftanflial truths of the gofpel, taught in a plain,
eafy, fcriptural flile ; fuited to the edification of
them, who are more delighted with words which
the Holy Ghofl teacheth, than with the gaudy
trappings of human eloquence, and what the apo-
ftle calls the enticing words of man's wifdom — .
Here the conceited Pharifaical legalifl will fee
the vanity and fooliihnefs of building up and efta-
blifhing a righteoufnefs of his own, to the flight-
ing and defpifing the Righteoufnefs of Chrifl. - Here
ferious chriftians will find the exercifes of their
heart laid open with uncommon advantage ; and
fuch as labour under doubts and fears, will find
their weak hands flrengthened, and their feeble
knees confirmed, by having the ground and foun-
dation of faith clearly fet before them, and the
warrant they have to build upon it ; and pro-
per diredtions, how to become eftablifhed and
confirmed believers. — Here vain and prefumptous
hypocrites will find many of the deceits of their
hearts laid open, if they are not blinded to their
own de(lru(ftion. — Here carnal pvofdrors • will

find

PREFACE.

find that 'tis impoflible to attain, or keep a true
afTurance, without the Ilridleft regard to hohnefs
of heart and life. — In a word, here gofpel
holinefs and chriftian morality, are placed on their
only true and proper bafis ; Faith in our
Lord Jesus Christj and here 'tis fhown,
that this dodlrine opens no door to licentioufnefs ;
it does not make void the law, but eftabliflies it ;
binding univerfal obedience to it on the believer,
with the powerful and fweet cords of the Re-
deemer's love.

The book, as it now appears, is printed from
the fermons as they were publifhed fome years
ago in Scotland -, and as the Rev. Mr. Bradbury
obferves, in his preface to the firft volume, 'tis
to be noticed. That they arc only a tranfcript
of the authors original prepai-ations for the pul-
pit, or as they were taken from their mouths in
characters, fo that they appear in the fimple drefs
in which they were firit ftudied, without any
defign of publiiliing them ; which may be a
fufficient apology for fuch places as may to fome
appear lefs accurate in point of ftile. — There
is no alteration in this edition of thefe fermons,
fave only a few Scots words and phrafes, not fo
well underflood in Ettglandj have been rendred
more agreeable to the Englifi way of fpeaking;
though after all fome few fuch words and phrafes
have been over looked j but 'tis hoped that the
Enghfi reader will be at no lofs as to thefe, if
what goes before and after is carefully obferved.

May the Lord abundantly blefs thefe fweet
evangelical difcourfes, to the convidlion, conver-
fion and edification of precious fouls j fo as a
larofe revenue of glory and praife may redound to
his bleifed and glorious name. Amen,

THE

O N T EISTT'S:

* The King held in the galleries. In a fermon on. - ''"

Cant. vii. 5.

7'be king is held in the galleries. page i

By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

II.

The believer exalted in imputed righteoufnefs. In
v a fermon on

Psalm Ixxxix. 16.
Jn thy name jhall they rejoice all the day ; and in thy
righteoufnefs pall they be exalted. 3 1

By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

III.

The humble foul the peculiar favourite of heaven.
'^' In a fermon on

^^ Psalm cxxxviii. 6.

^ough the Lord be high, yet hath he refpeB unto the
lowly : but the proud he knoweth afar of. 53

By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

IV.

Militant's fong : or, the believer's exercife, while

here below. In a fermon on

Psalm ci. i.

/ will fing of mercy and judgment : unto thee, O

J-iOrd^ will I fing. 82

By Mr. Ralph Erskine.

V. Un-

The C O N T EN T S.

Unbelief arraigned and condemned at the bar of
God. In a fermon on

' ' John iii. i8.

'—He that belie'ueth not^ is condemned already. 155
By Mr. EbenezerErskine.

VI.

The alTurance of faith, opened and applied. In
/ix difcourfes on

Hebrews X. 22, t'

Having therefore^ brethren^ boldnefs to enter into the
holiejiy by the blood of fejiis^ by a new and living
ISO ay which he hath confecrated for us through the
vail, that is to fay, his fiejh 5 and having an
High-prief over the houfe of God : let us draw
near with a true heart, [IN F UL L AS SU-
RANCE OF FAITH] The firfl difc. 200

The fecond 212
The third 228

The fourth 249

The fifth 256

The fixth 277

By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine,

VII.

The Lamb in the midfl of the throne. In a fer-r
mon on

Rev. vii. 17.

For the Lamb, which is in the midfi of the throne,
fall feed than, &c. 323

By Mr. Ralph Erskine.

VIII. A

The CONTENTS.

VIII.

A treafure of gofpel-grace digged out of mount
Sinai : or, the iinner's claim of right cleared
from God's covenant with Ifrael at SmaL In a
Sermon on .^

EXOD. XX. 2, 3.

/ am the Lord thy God — Thou Jhalt have no other
gods before me. 370

. By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

IX.

The promifing God, a performing God. In a

fermon on
^iwii Gen. xxviii. 15.

For I will not leave thee, until I have done that which

I have fpoken to thee of. 435

By Mr. Ralph Erskine.

FaitVs plea upon God's word and covenant. In an
^^ evening exercife on

d7 ^ Psalm Ixxxiv. 20.

Have reJpeSi unto the covenant. 492

By Mr. Ralph Erskine.

A COLLECTION of Sermons oii various Subjefts;
preached fome by the Rev Mr. Ebenezer Erskine,
3nd otliers by the Rev. Mr. Ralph E r s k i n b.

VOL. I. contains

1 . The main Queftion, What think ye of Chrift ?

2. Chrift in the Believers Arms,

3. The Rent Vail of the Temple.

4. Chrift the Peoples Covenant.

5. The Comers Confiidl.

6. The Female Preacher.

7. Couragious Faith.

8. The Believer's Journey.

VOL. II. contains

1 . God's little Remnant.

2. The Wind of the Holy Ghoft, blowing upon the dry Bones,

3. The Grones of Believers under their Burdens.

4. Law Death, Gofpel Life.

5. The Harmony of the Divine Attributes Difplayejl.

6. The beft Bond, or fureft Engagement.

7. The Gradual Conqueft, or Heaven won by little and little.

8. The Rainbow of the Covenant, furrounding the Throne of
Grace.

Alfo by one of the fame Authors, *

1 . Gofpel Sonnets, or Spiritual Songs.

2. A Poetical Paraphrafe upon the whole Book of Canticles; an4
a great Variety of Booka by Scotch Autliors.

All the above. Sold at J. Oswald's Shop, at the Ro/e .and Crvwn
in the Poultry, near the Ma7iJian-Hcu/e.

Where likewife may be had,

J. Sermons preached at Beny-Street, by the late Rev. Tfaac Watts^
D. D. and feveral others, in two Volumes Odtavo.

2. Sixty-four Praftical Sermons, preached by the late Rev. Daniel
Wilcox, in three Volumes Oftavo.

N. B. The Third Volume may be had alone, price Bound 5 s.

T'he King held in the Galleries"^

BEING

A SERMON preached on Sahhaih-Evtnmg^
immediately after the celebration of the Lord's
Supper, 'i)X Dunfermline^ 'June 2, 17 17.

■ ■ I*

By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine,

Cant. yii. 5.

7he King is held i7i the Galleries,

U R bleiTed Lord Jefus, who is reprefent*
ed under the notion of ^ bridegroom in
_ this book, from the 4th verfe of the pre-
ceding chapter, breaks out in the commendation of
his fpoufe and bride, venting the love of his heart
toward her in many warm and pathetic exprellions 5
and his difcourfe is continued to the loth verfe of"
this chapter, where we find him running out in
the commendation of his church in feveral particu-
lars. He commends her from her fpiritual birth
and pedigree, calling her a prince s daughter^ ver. i .
The faints of God are royally defcended 5 by their
fecond birth they are fprung of the ancient of days 5
born, 7iot of bloody nor of the "will of man^ nor of the
will of the flcjh^ but of God. Again, he commends
her from the beauty of holinefs fhining in her walk
and converfation ; how beaiitifid are thy feet with
f:oeSi O pi'ince's daughter ! Holinefs is the attire of

B the

2 The King held ifi the Galleries.

the bride of Chrift, fie is arayed in fine linen ^ clean
and 'white, 'which is the righteoiifnefi of the fiints.
But time will not allow me to explain the feveral
particulars of her commendation : the words of my
text are an abrupt fentence, wherein he expreiTeth
the wonderful complacency which he took in her
fociety, and the overpowering influence that her
faith and his faithfulnefs, his love and her loveli-
nefs, had to make him ftay and abide in her com-
pany J 'T'he king is held in the galleries. In which
words we may notice thefe particulars j

I . Chrift's character and ofBce j he is a perfon
of royal dignity, no lefs than a king, and the king
by way of eminency : the church of God owns no
other king but Chrift, for it is he whom God the
Father has fet to rule upon the holy hill of Zion-y and
it is a manifeil invafion of Chrift's prerogative for
pope, prelate or potentate to ufurp a foverelgnty
and headfhip over the church of Chrift, an indig-
nity which he will not fuffer to pafs without fuit-
able refentment : he here owns himfelf to be the
king of Zion, and will maintain the dignity of his
crown againft all that dare invade it. 2. In the
words, we have the place of converfe between
Chrift and his blelled fpoufe and bride, it is i?i the
galle?'ics j it is the fame word in the original which
we have, Ca?2t. i. 17. The beams of our hoiife are
cedar, and our rafters or galleries of fir. Where,
by galleries in both places, according to the judi-
cious Durham, we are to underftand the ordinan-
ces of the gofpel, in which Chrift and his people
make appointments and keep company one with
another. Why gofpel-ordinances are thus called,
I may Ihew more particularly afterward. 3. We
have the fweet conftraint that this royal bridegroom
was under to tarry in the galleries with his fpoufe i

The King held in the Galle?^ies. 3

he here owns, that he was held, or bound, as the
word fignifies, in the galleries ; her faith and love
laid hirri under a voluntary arreft to tarry with her,
like the difciples going to Emjnmis, Luke xxiv. 29.
She conjlrained him to abide with her. An expreflion
much like this, we have, Cajit. iii. 4. after a wea-
ry night of defertion, and much tedious enquiry,
fhe at length meets with her beloved, and there-
upon cries out, Iheldhim^ and would not let him go,

Obferve, That Chrijl, the blejjed king of Zion,
condefccnds fometimes to be held and detained by
his people in the galleries of gofpel-ordi7iarjces^
The king is held in the galleries.

I . I fliall give fome account of this royal king.
2. Of the galleries of the king. 3. Of this holding
of the king in the galleries. 4. Apply.

The frji thing propofed is, To give forne ac-
count of this royal king j but alas, who can declare
his generation'^ All I fhall do, is only, (i.) Ta
prove that he is a king. (2.) That he is the king
by way of eminency and excellency.

I/?, That he is a king, appears from thefe par-
ticulars ;

1 . From the Father's deiignation and ordination •
from all eternity the Father defigned and ordained
this dignity for him as our Mediator : for I do not
now fpeak of his natural and effential, but of his
difpenfatory or mediatory kingdom 3 I have ft my
king upon my holy hill of Xion, Pfal, ii. 6. and PfaL
Ixxxix. 27. I will make him my firft^born, higher
than the kings of the earth.

2. It appears from the prophecies that went of
him before his ad:ual manife Station in our nature.

h z It

4 7he King held in the Galleries,

It was prophefied that the fceptre of Judah fliould
terminate in him, Gen. xhx. lo. that he fhould
fucceed Davidy and fit upon his throne, Luke i.
32. compared with Pfal. cxxxii. 11. ^he Lord
Jhall give unto him the throne of his father David,
and he Jhall reign over the hoife of Jacob for ever,
and of his kingdom there fiall be no end^ Ifa. ix. 6.
and the government Jloall be upon hisJJjoulder.

3 . It appears from the types and fliadows that
prefigured him. He was typified by Melchifedek,
who is called the kifig of righteoufnefs, and the king
of peace ; he was typified by David, and frequent-
ly called by the name of David in the pfalms and
prophets, Hof.m. 5. 'The children of Yix-iL^i jloall re~
turn and fcek the Lord their God, and David their
king. He was typified by Solomon, and by his
name he is commonly called in this book of the

Jong-

4. It appears from the princely titles that are
given him in fcripture. He is called the prince of
peace, the king of righteoufnefs, and the kifig of kings
and lord of lords ; and it is God the Father's will,
that every one jlmdd confefs that fefus Chrijl is the
Lord.

5. It appears from the princely prerogatives and
royalties that are afiigned him by his Father. He
has anointed him to be king with an incomparable
oil, even isoith the oil of gladnefs ; I have found David
my fervant : with 7ny holy oil have I anointed him,
Pfal. Ixxxix. 20. He has inflalled him in the go-
vernment with the folemnity of an open proclama-
tion from heaven by the voice which came from the
excellent glory ; this is my beloved Son, in whojn I am
well plea fed, hear ye him. He has put a fcepter of
righteoufnefs and a rod of iron in his hand, where-
by he is enabled to defend his fubjedls, deflroy his

ei^emies.

The King held in the Galleries, 5

enemies, and break them in pieces as a potter s vejfel.
He has given him ambaffadors to negociate the af-
fairs of his kingdom j He ga'-oe fome apojlles^ fome
prophets^ fome evangelifts^ and fome pajlors and teach-
ers^ for the perfecting of the faiiifs for the moork of
the minifiry, for the edification of the body, of ChrijL
He has given him vaft territories, evea the heathen
for his inheritance^ and the utter mofi ends of the earth
for his poffefjion j his dominion reaches from fea to fea^
and from the river to the ends of the earth. It ex-
tends, not only to the outward, but Hkewife to the
inward man : he has a'legillative authority, he can
make and explain and abrogate laws at his pleafurej
and when his laws are broken, he has the power
of acquitting or condemning committed to him j
for the Father judgeth no tnan, but hath committed all
judgment to the Son. Thus you fee he is a king.

2dly, As he is a king, fo he is the king by way
of eminency and excellency ; and this will be
abundantly clear, if we confider,

1. That he is the king eter?2al^ i Tim. i. 17. The
evet'lafing Father, or the Father of eternity, Ifa.
ix. 6. Other kings are but of yeflerday, mere up-
ftarts, and, like a gourd, their glory withers in a
night ; but here is a king that is from everlafting to
everlafling, the true alpha and omega, the beginning
and the ending, Micah v. i. This ruler in Ifrael,
his goings forth were of old from everlafling j and his
throne is fo firmly eftablifhed, that it fhall ftand
through all periods of time, yea, through the end-
lefs years of eternity, Pfal. xlv. 6. Thy throne, O
God, is for ever and ever.

2. He is called the king immortal, i Tim. i. 17.
In the laft chapter of the fame epiflle. He only hath
immortality. The potentates of the earth are but
kings of clay, they and their thrones have their

B 3 founda-

6 The King held in the Galleries,

foundations in the duft, and unto duft fliall they
return J death, the king of terrors, has raifed its
trophies of vidlory over the moft renowned poten-
tates; they who made the world to tremble with
their fword have been at lall vanquiflied by death:
but here is a king that never dies. 'Tis true, death
did once by his own confent obtain a feeming vic-
tory over him; but in that victory death iff elf was
plagued^ and the gra'^oe deftroycd, Hof. xiii. 14,
Yea, it was not pofiibie that he fhould be held in
the bonds of death 3 no, he yanquifhed death in his
own territories, and returned carrying the fpoil of
his enemy along with him, making open procla-
mation of the vidiory which he had gained to all
his friends for their encouragement, Rev. i. 17.
I am he that ivas" dead, and behold, I am alive for
evermore, and have the keys of hell and death.

3. He is the ki?ig invifble. Some eallern princes
they were feldom feen of their fubjed:s, to beget
the greater reverence and eftimation among their
fubjedis ; but this was only an affedtation of gran-
deur. Chriil the King of Zion, he is indeed vi-
iibie to the eye of faith by the faints militant, and
vifible to the eye of fenfe by the faints triumphant;
however the thoufand thoufandth part of his divine
glory can never be feen or fe^rched out by any
created underftanding, for He du'ells in light which
no man can approach unto ; whom ?iO man hath feen,
or can fee, i Tim. vi. 16. He is an unfeen and un-
known Chrift by the greatefl part of the world,
as to his worth and excellency; and, as to his cor-
poreal prefence, he is invifible by us in this flate of
mortality, for the heavens nmfl co/itain him until the
time of the refiiiiition of all things-, and then indeed
every eye fhaUfee Imn, and they alfo that pierced him,

4, He

The King held in the Galleries » 7

4. He Is the only hie (fed and happy king^ i. Tim.
vi. 15. The bleffcd and only potentate. The crowns of
other princes have their prickles, which make them
to fit uneafy upon their heads; and the toil and
ti'ouble of government is fometimes fo great, that
the very beggar on the dunghil is happier in fome
refpedl than the king upon the throne : but Zion'^
king is in every refped: happy and blelled ; he is the
darhng of heaven and earth,, the delight of his Father ^
and the defire of all nations -^ his crown does not tot-
ter, his fubjedts do not rebel, he is happy in them,
and they in him; MenJJjall be blejfed in him^ and all
nations JImU call him bit fed.

5. VLq h the abfolute and uni'uerfal ki?2g. His king-
dom is univerfal in refpedl of all perfons ; the high-
eft potentate, as well as the meaneft beggar, are
the fubjedls of his empire. This is his royal ?ia7fie
^written on his thigh and 'vefiwe^ the king of kings,
and lord of lords. Rev. xix. 16. Whenever he will,
he cafts the mighty out of their feats, and advan-
ces them of k)w degree ; fets the beggar on the
throne, and caufeth the king to iit on the dunghil;
He cuts off the fpirits of princes, and is terrible to the
kings of the earth. Again, his government is uni.-
verfal in refpecl of all places. We read of feveral
potentates who have grafped at univerfal monarchy,
but never any of them' attained it, tho' indeed they
extended their dominions far and wide ; but here is
a king whofe empire reaches to heaven, earth and
hdl. Again, it is univerfal in refpedt of all times,
He fl:all reign over the hoife of Jacob for ever, and
of his kingdom there Jl:all be ?w end.

I might tell you further, to illuftrate the eminen-
cy of this king, that he is the king of glory, the
almighty king, the king of faints, the king of na-
tions ; but, from what has been faid, we may fee

B 4 ' ' that

8 'The King held in the Galleries.

that he is a king of incomparable excellency, and
what a honour it is to be with him, and to hold
him in the galleries. But I go on to

The [econd thing propofed, which was, to fpeak
a little of the galleries wherein this royal king makes
appointments and keeps company with his people.
We read, Song i. 4. of the chambers of the king ;
and Song ii. 4. of the kin^s banqueting-houje^ or
cellars of wine, into which the fpoufe had been
brought 3 the fame is called here the galleries of the
king^ VIZ, thefe ordinances in which the Lord Jefus
reveals himfelf to his people in the houfe of their
pilgrimage. Here I will only, (i.) mention a few
of thefe galleries. (2.) Enquire why ordinances
are compared to galleries. I wi|l ,only mention
thefe few.

1. There is the fecret gallery of meditation^
wherein David found God's hving-kindnefs to be better
than lifiy and had his jcid fatisfied as with marrow
andfaincfs. ^

2. There is the gallery o£ prayer^ wherein y^<:c/^
wreftled with the angel of the covenant, and, like a
prince, prevailed for the bleffing.

3 . There is the gallery of reading ofthefcriptiires,
wherein the Ethiopian Eunuch got fuch a dilcovery
of the promifed Mefliah, as made him go on his way
rejoicing.

4. There is the gallery of Chrifian converfe about
foul-matters, wherein the difciples going to Em-
mans had fuch a meeting with Chriil as made their
hearts burn within them, ;

5. There is the gallery of /r^(^c/'/;?g", ox oi hear-
ing of the word preached, by the foolifnefs of which
God faveth thon that believe. Here it v/as that
Lydia^ heart was opened. And,

. . 6. The

T'he King held in the Galleries* 9

6. The ficra??k?its of the Ne^v Teftament, bap-
tifm and the Lord's fupper, are galleries wherein
Zlo?i's king difplays his glory before his people ;
the laft of thefe is by v/ay of eminency called the
commu?tioi2., not only becaufe therein the people of
God have communion one with another, but be-
caufe therein ibey have fellowjhip with the Father,
raid with his Sofi jtjlis Chrifi.

2dly, As to the fecond thing here ; why are thefe
ordinances compared to galleries ? I anfwer,

1. Galleries are magnificent apartments of royal
and {lately buildings ; fo there is a divine magnifi-
cence in the ordinances of the gofpel, when coun-
tenanced with the prefence of the great mafter of
afifemblies. 'Tis true, they appear mean and con-
temptible in the eyes of a profane world, who are
Grangers to the power of godlinefs ; but the ma?!
who has his finfes fpirittially exercifed to difcern good
and evily fees a divine greatnefs and magnificence in
them, fuitable to the flate and royalty of the prince
of the kings of the earth: and when the man is ad-
mitted to fee the power and glory of God in them,
he cannot but join iffue with facoby faying, l^his is
none other but the boiife of Gody and gate of heaven.
Gen. xxviii. 17.

2. Galleries are lightfome and pleafant apart-
ments. O how pleafant and lightfome are ordinan-
ces to a gracious foul! Let a child of God be where
he will, he reckons it but a dry and thirfcy land
where no water is, if he be not admitted to the
galleries of ordinances, Pfal. Ixiii. i, 2. See how
the fame holy man expreffes his delight in ordinan-
ces, Pfal. Ixxxiv. I . How amiable are thy tabernacles^
O Lord of Hojis! I am fure this will be the lan-
guage of every foul that has been in the galleries
with the king this day.

3. Gal-

to The King held in the Galleries,

3. Galleries are places of walk and converfe, as
is plain from Ezek. xli. 15. When a king or great
man defigns to be familiar with his friend, he will
take a turn with him in the galleries ; fo it is in gof-
pel ordinances that Chrifl: doth walk and converfe
witli his people. Here it is that he gives them au-
dience, allows them to be free and familiar with
him, draws by the vail, communicates the fecrets
of his covenant, and myileries of his kingdom,
which are hid from the wife and prudent of the
world.

4. Galleries are places of publick feafting and
entertainment of friends 5 fo it is in the mount of
gofpel-ordinances that the Lord has provided for his
people, a feaji of fat things^ ofwi?ies on the lees., of

fat things full of inan^ow^ of wines on the lees well re-
fined. Here it is that Chrift fays to his people,
Bjaty 0 friends, and drink^ yea, drink abundantly , O
beloved I Thus I have given you fome account of
the galleries of the king.

The third thing propofed v/as, to fpeak to the
holding of the king in the galleries, wliich is what
I had principally in view : and here I will ihew
what this holding of Chrift fuppofes and implies,
both on the believer's part, and on Chrifl's part.

if. What does it fuppofe and imply on the be-
liever's part ?

1. It neceffarily fuppofes a meeting with Chrifl in
the galleries j for no perfon can hold that which
they never had: you that never knew what it was
to enjoy communion with Chrifl in his ordinances,
this dodtrine is a hidden myflery to you.

2. It fuppofes an high efteem of Chrifl, a love
to, and liking of his company. We are at no pains
to hold thefe whofe company we care not for , but,

when

The King held in the Galleries, 1 1

when we are prefling a friend to flay with us, it
fays that we value his company. Sirs, there are
various opinions about Chrift among the hearers of
the Gofpel. The profane world, they look upon
him as a fevere and tyrannical mafter, and therefore
they luill not have this 7nan to reign over them-, they fay
to the Jlhnight)\ depai't from us. Again, carnal,
lukewarm profeiTors /t"^ no form ?ior comelinefs in him,
ivhy hefictild be defired; and therefore they are rea-
dy to Iky with the daughters of ferifalem. What is
thy beloved more than another beloved'^ They cannot
fee any taking excellency in the king of Zion. But
it is otherwife with the believer j the glory and
beauty of Chrift darkens all created excellency in his
eye j his language is, Whom have I in heavejt but
thee? and there is none upon earth that I defre befides
thee. He is as the apple-tree among the trees of the
fwccd, the ftandard-bearcr among ten thoufand.

3 . On the believer's part, this holding of Chrifl
fuppofes a fear of loiing him, or of being deprived
of his company. The foul that has met with Chrifl
is afraid of a parting. 'Tis true, the believer has
no ground to fear the lofs of Chrifl's real and gra-
cious prefence, for the union between Chrifl and
him is indifTolvablej that promife can never fail, I
'wUl never leave nor for fake thee. But, as for his fen-
fible and comfortable prefence, they both may,
and frequently do lofe it 3 the child of light many
times walks in darknefs. Now, it is the lofs of
this prefence of Chrifl that the foul fears, when it
is concerned to hold or bind the king in the galle-
ries : neither is this a fear of defpondency, but a
fear of activity and diligence.

4. It fuppofes a feeming willingnefs in Chrifl to
withdraw from his people after their fweetefl enjoy-
ments. • Many times Chrifl's carriage, in his dif-

penfa-

1-2 The King held In the Galleries,

penfations towards his people, feems to have a lan-
guage much like that to 'Jacobs when he faid to
him, let me go j or like his carriage towards the
two difciples going to Emmmis, He made as if he
would kaije their company^ and go on in his way. And
his carriage feems to have this language, efpecially
when he challenges them for the bad entertainment
they have formerly given him, when he lets loofe
the tempter to buffet them after fignal manifefta-
tions, or when he meafures out iliarp troubles and
afHid:ions to them ; in all thefe cafes he feems as
it were to be turning about the face of his throne
from them.

5. It implies a holy folicitude, and earneil: de-
fire of foul to have his prefence continued. When
Chriil is hiding, there is nothing the believer de-
lires more than his return, 0 that I knew were I
might find him ! And when they have found him, .
there is nothing they delire more than to keep his
company, or that he would not be any more to
them as a flrangcr or wayfaring man. O fays the
foul, when it gets a meeting with the Lord Jefus,
A bundle of myrrhe is my well beloved unto me^ he jhall
lye all night between my breafts^ Cant. i. 13. As if
Ihe had faid, if he will flay with me, I will deny
him nothing I can afford, I will entertain him with
the higheft evidences of cordial affed:ion.

6. It implies an ardent breathing of foul after
more and more nearnefs to Chriff, and further dif-
coveries of him. There is not fuch a high difco-
ver'y of Chriil attainable in this life, but there is
ffill a ftep beyond it. The believer v»^ould always
have more of Chriil, Cant. ii. 5. The fpoufe
there is brought into the banqueting-houfe, and al-
lowed to fea|l and feed liberally upon the redeem-
er's love, and to fit down under his difplayed ban-
ner;

li*he King held hi the Galleries, 1 3

ner ; and yet at that very inftant fhe cries out, Stay
me with jiagons^ comfort 7ne ivith apples, for I amjick
of love. As if flie had faid, let me lye down a-
mong thefe comforts ; let me .roll myfelf perpetu^
ally among the blefled apples' of the tree of life.
They who have got fo much of Chrift, as to be
tyr'd of his company, they never knew what his
prefence was.

7. It implies a firm refolution not to part with
his company ; / held him, fays the fpoufe, aftd I
would not let him go. Song iii. 4. The like we fee
in Jacob, I will not let thee go imtil thou blefs me ;
that is, I am refolved, that thou and I fhall not
part, coft what it will.

8. It implies a cleaving or adhering to Chrifl
with the whole ftrength and vigour of the foul.

^ejiion. How, or wherein does the foul put
forth its ftrength in cleaving to Chrifl ? I anfwer,
it does it by thefe three efpecially ;

1 . By the lively exercife of faith. Hence faith
is called an apprehending of Chrift, and a cleaving
to him, as Barnabas exhorts the Chrillians at Afi-
tioch to cleave to the Lord with full pur pofe of heart.
The poor foul fays to Chrifh in this cafe, as Ruth
did to Naomi J Intreat me not to leave thee, or to re-
turn from following after thee : for whither thou goefty
I will go-, and whither thou lodgejl, I will lodge : thy
people fiall be my people, and thy God my God, An in-
ftance of this cleaving to Chrifh we have in the Ca-
naanitiflo woman ; fhe, as it were, clafps about him,
and will by no means let go her hold, notwith-
{landing all repulfes.

2. The foul binds or holds Chrift ill the galle-
ries by lincere and ardeint love. Love is a very
uniting affed:ionj by this, one foul 'cleaves to a-
nother. As Shechem\ foul did cleave to Dinah,

and

1^ Tie King held in the Galleries,

and Jonathan ^ to Daroid-, fo by love the foul
cleaves toChrifl, and this is a cord that cannot be ea-
fily broken, Cant. viii. 7. Many waters cannot quench
lovCy neither can thejioods drown it : if a man woidd
give all the fuhjlance of his houfe for love^ it would be
utterly defplfed. See for this alfo, Rom. Ym. ^S- Who
fiallfeparate us from the love of Chrijl F &c*

3. The foul cleaves to Chrift by fervent and
ardent prayer, facob he held the angel of the co-
venant, and would not let him go, Hof. xii. 3. 4..
By hisflrength he had power with God -, yea, he had
power over the angel, and prevailed-, for he wept
and made fuppli cation. The efjeBual fervent prayer
of the righteous man has a ftrange prevalence with
Chrifl ; it offers a holy kind of violence to him,
and fo binds him in the galleries that he cannot de-
part. Thus you fee what it implies on the belie-
ver's part.

idly. What does it imply on Chriff's part ? Ths
kifig is held in the galleries.

I . It implies amazing grace and condefcendency
toward the work of his own hands ; He humbles
himfelf even when he beholds things which are in hea-
ven ; much more when he bows the heavens, and
walks with his people in the galleries of ordinan-
ces ; and yet more when he is held by them in the
galleries, this is fuch ftrange condefceniion, that
Solo??ion the greateft of kings, and the wifefl of
men, he wondred at it, and wife men do not won-
der at trifles ; Will God (fays he) in very deed dwell
with men on earth /

'2. It implies Chrift's great delight in the foclety
of his people. He loves to be among them ;
w^here two or three of them are met in his name,
he will be in the mid ft of them : He rejoiced from
all eternity in tloe habitable parts of the earth, and

hii

The King held in the Galleries, 1 5

his deligks ivere with the fins of men, Prov. viii. 31.

3 . It implies, that there are certain cords which
have a conftraining Power to flay him in his peo-
ples company ; and fure they mufl be ilrong^cords
indeed wherewith omnipotency is bound. I men-
tion two or three.

( I .) He his bound by the cord of his own faith-
fulnefs, which he has laid in pawn in the promife.
He has promifed, / will ?tever leave thee, norforjake
thee J and he will not deny his word, his covenant
he will not break : this was the prevailing argument
werewith Mofis detained him in the camp of IJrael,
when he was threatning utterly to confume that
wicked people, Rxod. xxxii, 13. het me alone,
faith the Lord to Mofis, that I may confiiime them.
Remember Abraham, Ifaac, and Ifrael thy fiervants,
to whom thou fiwearefi by thine ownfielf, and fiat dfi unto
them, I will midtiply your fieed as thefiars oj heaven.
He binds him with his own covenant, ratified with
the folemnity of an oath.

(2.) He is bound in the galleries by the cord of
his own love. As a compaflionate mother cannot
leave her child, when it cleaveth to her and clafps
about her ; fo Chrifl's compaflionate heart will not
let him leave his people, his love to them furpaffes
the love of the mofl compafTionate mother or ten-
der-hearted parent ; Can a woman forget her fucking
child, that floe flmdd not have compqffion on the fin of
her womb ? Tea, they may forget, yet will I not for-
get thee. Behold, I have grave?! thee upon the palms
of fuy hands, thy walls are continually before me^
Ifa. xlix. 15, 16.

(3.) He his bound to them by the bond of mar-
riage ; 'Thy maker is thy hujhatid, the Lord of Hojls
is his name: he has betrothed them to himfelf in
j-ighteoufnefs, judgment, loving-kindnefis and mercy \

and

1 6 The King held in the Galkf^ies.

and He rejoiceth over theffi^ as a bridegroom rejoiceih
ever bis bride : and becaufe of this he will not, he
cannot, leave them.

The fourth thing was, the application of the
dodirine ; and the firfl nfi is of information. Is it
fo that Zions king is fonietimes held in the galle-
ries of gofpel-ordinances ? Then,

ifty See hence the happinefs and dignity of the
faints of God beyond the reft of the world. We
reckon that perfon highly honoured, who is admit-
ted to the king's prefence-chamber, and to walk
with him in his galleries ; this honour have all the
faints^ either in a greater or lefier degree. Verily
our fellaivjhip is with the Father^ and with his Son
yefus Chrifl : and therefore I may infer, that they
are the excellent ones of the earthy and more excellent
than their neighbour, Everfmce thou waft precious
in myfght^ thou haft been honourable.

2dl)\ See hence why the faints put fuch a va-
kie and eftimate on gofpel-ordinances. David e-
very where declares his efteem of them ; / love the
habit atio?i of thy houfe, and the place where thine hon->
our dwells. He woidd rather be a door-keeper in the
houfe of God, than dwell in the tents of pi. Why,
what is ^Q matter ? The plain matter is this, they
are the galleries where Zion^ king doth walk and
manifeft his glory unto his fubjects, Fjal. xxvii. 4,
One thing have I defired of the Lord, and that will I
feek after, that I may dwell in the houfe of the Lord
all the days of ?ny life, to behold the beauty of the Lord^
I pafs other ufes, and go on to a

Second ufe of this dodrine, and that is by way o^
tryal and examination* My friends^ you have been
in the galleries of the king of Zion, but that is not
enough j and therefore let me aflc. Have you been
in the galleries with the king ? and have you been

holding

^ The Kmg held in the Galleries » 1 7

holding the king in the galleries ? There are many
poor ignorant creatures, who, if they are allowed
to come to a communion-table, think all is right
and clear between God and them, like the whore,
Prov. vii. 14. Peace-offeri?igs are with 7ne^ this day
have I paid my vows. But, O firs, remember per-
fons may get into the outer galleries of ordinances,
and never get into the inner gallery of communion
with the Lord Jefus. For your trial as to this
matter, I Ihall only propofe a few queftions
to you.

^eji. I. What did you hear In the galleries?
What faid the king unto you ? For, as I told you,
the galleries of ordinances are the place of audi-
ence, where the king of Zion converfes with his
people ; and readily, if he hath fpoken with you,
you will remember what he faid : for he fpeaks as
never man fpake, he has the tongue of the learned^
and his words are as goads and nails fafined in a jure
place. The fpoufe, we find, fhe had been in the
chamber of prefence, and in the banqueting houfe :
She tells that the king fpake with her, and ihe re-
members what he faid. Cant. ii. 10. My beloved
fpake ^ and faid unto me^ Rife up, my love, my fair
one, a7id come away. So then, did the king fpeak
with you in the galleries ? did he fpeak a word of
convidlion, or a word of comfort, a word of peace,
or a word of confolation ? or whatever it be. ^eji.
How fhall I know that it was his voice, and not the
voice of a ftranger ? Aff. The fneep of Chrift,
they have a natural inftindt whereby they know his
voice, it has a different found from the voice of a
ftranger ; and, if you be the fheep of Chrift, you
will know it better than I can tell you it by words.
When he fpeaks, he makes the heart to burn ;•
and you will b? ready to fay with the difciples,

C Did

1 8 The King held in the Galleries.

Did not our hearts burn within us^ while he talked
with us in the galleries ? His words have kindled a
flame of love, that many waters cannot quench ;
a flame of zeal for his glory, a flame of holy joy, fo
that you will be ready to fay with David, God hath
fpoken in his holi7iefs, I will rejoice. When he fpeaks,
he makes the foul to fpeak, whofe lips were former-
ly clofed J for his voice makes the lips of them that are
afleep to fpeak. Ifhehadfaid, Seek ye my face -, your
fouls have echoed, T^hy face. Lord, will Ifeek. If
he had faid come ; thy foul has anfwered, Beholdy
I come unto thee, for thou art the Lord my God. If
he has fpoken peace to you this day in the galleries,
you will be concerned not to return again unto
folly ; you have been made to fay with Fjphraim,
What have I a?7y more to do with Idols?

^eft. 2. I 2Sk, What did you fee in the galleries.
Many fights are to be feen in the galleries of ordi-
nances, and particularly in that of the Lord's fup-
per : here the lamb of God is to be feen, which taketh
away the fin of the world ; and in a crucified Chrifl:,
who is evidently fet forth in that ordinance, all the
divine attributes and perfedlions fliine with a great-
er lufl:re, than in the large volume of the creation-
Here we might fee the feemingly different claims
of mercy and juftice, with refped: unto fallen man,
fweetly reconciled. The healing overture is, that
the furety fliall die in the room of the finner ; and
thus jufl:ice fhall be fatisfied, and mercy for ever
magnified. Here you might fee the holinefs and
equity of God's nature fparkling in flames of wrath
againft him who has made fin for you ; the fword
awaked, even againfl: the man that is God's fellow,,
wounds and bruifes him for your iniquities. There
you might fee the power of God fpoiling principa*
lities and powers, ihaking the foundatoin of the

Devil's

^e King held in the Galleries] 1 9

Devirs kingdom, and laying the foundation of a
happy eternity for an eled world, in the death and
blood of the eternal Son. In this ordinance you
might have feen him writing his love in charadiers
of blood } love which has neither brim, bottom
nor boundaries* Here he was to be feen, as the
amen^ the faithful and true witnefs^ girt with the
golden girdle of faithfulnefs, fealing the covenant,
and confirming it with many. Now, I fay, Have
you feen any thing of this ? are you faying, TFe
beheld his glory ^ as the glory of the only begotten of the
Father "^ Did any of thefe divine rays of Zion's
king break forth upon your foul ? If fo, then I am
fure it has had fomething of a transforming efficacy
with it J according to what we have, 2 Cor. iii. 18,
All ive with open face ^ beholding as in a glafs the glo-
ry of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, from
glory to glory, even as by thefpirit of the Lord. Jacob's
cattle, you know, by the veiy working of fancy
in the conception, by beholding the piled rods,
brought forth their young fpeckled and fpotted.
Now, if fancy could work fuch a refemblance,
what muft the eye of faith do, when it beholds the
glory of God in the face of Chriil, who is the ex-
prefs linage of his perfon f John i. 14. The word was
made fleflo, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the
only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth*.
And out of his fid?iefs we all received [grace for grace),
'Tis remarkable, that, by beholding his glory, we
receive grace for grace : as the wax receives letter
for letter from the feal, or as the child receives
member for member from the parent ; fo, by be-
holding Chrift, we receive grace for grace from
him : fo as there is never a grace in Chrifl, when
it is feen by faith, but it works fomething of a pa-
rallel grace on the foul. So then, try yourfelves
C ^ by

20 The Kino; held in the Galleries,

by thisj and you may know whether you have beeii
indeed In the galleries with the king.

^eji. 3. I aik, V/hat have you tailed in the
galleries ? For, as you heard, galleries are for feaft-
ing and entertainment of friends. Now, did the
king fay to you, or is he yet faying it, Eat^ O
friefidsy drhik^ yea, drink ahimdantly, O bebved ?
Did he make you to eat of the fatnefs of his houfe,
and to drink of the rivers of his pleafures ? If you
have tajled that the Lord is gracious, then I am fure
you will, like new born babes, defire and thirft after
the jincere milk of the word : you will be faying.
Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, let me
have more and more of this delicious fare. If you
have been feafted with the king in the galleries, the
world, and all the pleafures of it, will be as no-
thing in your eye, in comparifon of Chrifl: and the
intimations of his love. O, fays David, when his
foul was fatisfied as with marrow and fatnefs, Thy
loving-kindnefs is better than life, and all the comforts
of life ; they are but dung and lofs when laid in
the balance with him. If you have been feafting
in the galleries, you will be delirous that others
may lliare of the feafl you have gotten ; and, with
David, be ready to fay, O tafte and fee that God is
good. You will proclaim the praifes of his goodnefs,
as you have occafion, to them that fear him ; come
here, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he
hath done for myfoid. And readily it will be the de-
lire of your foul to abide in his prefence, and to
dwell, as it were, in the galleries of ordinances.
O 'tis good for us to be here ! Let us build taber-
nacles here, faid Peter, on the mount of transfigu-
ration : that will be the language- of thy foul, PfaL
xxvii. 4. One thing have I defircd of the Lord, that
mil Ifeek aft cry that I may dwell in the houfe of the

Lord

Thi King held 171 the Galle?'ies, 2 r

Lord all the dnys of my life, to behold the beauty of the
Lord, a?idto enquire in his temple. So much for an
ufe of trial.

Vfe third may be in a fliort word dire(5led to two
or three forts of perfons j i . To you who know
nothing of this dodlrine, never met with the king
in the galleries. 2. To you who have had a com-
fortable meeting with him. 3. To thefe who per-
haps are complaining, I fought him, but I found
him not.

ijl. To you who never yet knew what it was
to have a meeting with Zioiio king in the galleries
of gofpel-ordinances, and perhaps, GallioXikt, you
care for none of thefe things j to you I fhall
only fay,

1 . Your condition is truly fad and lamentable be-
yond expreffion or imagination j you are Aliens to
Ifrael's common-wealth, fir angers to the covenant of
promife, without God, without Chriji, and without
hope in the world : you are in the gall of bittcr72efs,
and bond of iniquity, under the curfe of God, and
condemnation of the law, and abfolute power of
Satan, who rules in the children of difobedience ;
you are lying within the fea-mark of God's wrath ;
and, if you die in this condition, you will drink
the dregs of the cup of his indignation through all
eternity.

2. If you have in this cafe adventured to the
galleries of a communion-table, you have run a
very dreadful riik ; you have adventured to the
king's prefence without his warrant, and without
the wedding-garment of imputed righteoufnefs, or
of inherent holinefs ; and therefore have run the
rifk of being bound hand and foot, and caft into utter

• darknefs : you have been eating and drinking judg-
ment to your own fouls, and are guilty of the body
and blood of the Lord. And therefore,

C3 3. For

2 2 3^^ King held in the Galleries,

3 . For the Lord's fake, let me befeech you to re-
pent of your wickednefs. Flee out of your loft and
miferable condition, flee to the horns of the altar:
we declare to you, that there is yet hope in Ifrael
concerning you. Let the wicked for Jake his way^ and
the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let him turn
unto the Lord^ and he will have mercy upon him ; and
to our God for he will abundantly pardon^ Ifa. Iv. 7.

A fecond fort of perfons are thefe who have this
day had a meeting with Zions king in the galle-
ries of ordinances. I fhall only offer a word of
Exhortation to you, and of advice;

I . A word of exhortation. Have you met with the
king in the galleries? O then be exhorted to hold him,
and bind him in the galleries ; take him with you
from the more open and folemn galleries of publick
ordinances, unto the more private and fecret galle^
ries of prayer, meditation, conference and tlie like;
follow the fpoufe's practice when fhe found him,
3heheldhimy and would not let him go , till jhe brought
him into her mother s houfe, and into the chamber of
her that conceived her. To engage you to hold him,
take thefe motives ;

Mot. I . Confider his invaluable worth and ex-
cellency. The tongues of angels, fetting afide men,
do but falter and ftammer when they fpeak of him.
His worth is beft known by the characfter he gives
of himfelf in his word : view him abfolutely in
himfelf ; He his the oitly begotten of the Father , the
mighty God, the prince of peace : view him compa-
ratively ; He is fairer than the childeren of men, as
the apple-tree among the trees of the wood ; the Ji and-
ard-bearer among ten thoufand: view him relatively;
He is thy heady thy hujhandy thy friend j thy fa-^
thery thy elder-brother , thy furety, Jhepherd and re-^
deemer ', and, in a word, he is All and in all; and
ihould not this make you to hold him ?

;2, Con>^

The King held in the Galleries, 2 3

2. Confider, that thy happinefs, believer, lies
in the enjoyment of him. What is it, do ye think,
firs, that conflitutcs the happinefs of heaven thro'
eternity ? It is Chrift's prefence, a mediator, the
king oi Zion^ manifefling his heait-charming beau-
ty unto faints and angels thro' eternity. And v/hat is
it that raifes the poor foul to theveryfuburbs of glory
while in the v^ildernefs ? it is Chriil manifefling
himfelf in a fenfible way to the foul, O this, this
is it that fills the foul with joy unfpeakable and full
of glory I The advantages that do attend his pre-
fence with the foul are great and glorious, a cabi-
net of counfel attends his prefence: he brings light
with him, and no wonder, for he is the fu?i of
righteouftiefs : the vail and face of the covering is
rent when Chriii: comes, and darknefs is turned
into light ; his prefence has a mighty influence up-
on the believer's work in the wildernefs ; the be-
liever then rides upon the high places of Jacob -, he
runs fwiftly like the chariots of Aminadab. His
prefence infpires with courage and flrength, it
makes the feeble foul as David, and David as the an-
gel of God', it gives power to the faint, and increafes
Jlrength to them that have no might. The foldier

fights with courage when his captain is at hand j
the poor believer is not afraid to encounter the king
of terrors himfelf, when he is holding Chrifl in
the arms of faith, Pfal. xxiii. 4. Tea, thd I walk
through the valley of the Jhadow of death, I will fear
no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy ftaff
■they comfort me. So let this encourage you to
Jiold him.

3. Confider at what a dear rate this privilege
was purchafed for thee. Before Chrifl could pay

.thy foul a vifit in the galleries, he behoved to fwim
a river and ocean of blood, to tread the wine-prefs

C 4 of

24 ^^^ King held in the Galleries,

of his Father's wrath. Juilice had rolled infupe-
rable mountains in- his way, and thefe mountains
he muft pafs, and make as a plain, before he could
ihew himfelf in the galleries to thy foul. Does not
this oblige you to entertain him, and give him wel-
come when come ?

4. If you quit your hold of him, and fuffer him
to depart, it may coft you very dear before you
get another meeting with him. It is true. His
limdnefsfiall never depart from thee^ the covenant of
his peace JJoall jiever be removed ; his gracious pre-
fence can never be loft, but his quickning, com-
forting, ftrengthning, and upholding prefence may
be loft ', and even this may be of very dreadful
ponfequence. As his prefence is a heaven upon
earth, fo fometimes a hell upon earth follows his
abfence. Job^ through his hiding, is made to go
'mourning 'without the fun \ yea, to fuch a pafs is he
brought, through the frowns of God's countenance,
that he is made to cry, T^he arrows of the almighty
are iviihifi me^ the poifon whereof drijiketh up myfpi-
rits : the terrors of God do fet themfelves in aray a-
galnft me. And fee what a pafs Hema?i is brought
to, under defertion, Pfal: Ixxxviii. 6, 7, 1 5. ^hou
haft laid me in the lowcfi pit, in darknefs, in the deeps.
Thy wrath Ueth hard upon me, thou haft afliBed me
ivith all thy waves. And again. While I fuffer thy
terrors, I am diftraMed. Let all thefe confiderations,
and many others I might name, quicken your di-
ligence in holding the king in the galleries.

2. I come to offer you a few advices, in order
to your holding the king in the galleries, and main-*
taining his prefence with you.

(i.) See that you keep his lodging clean, and
beware of every thing that mayprovok-e him to with-
draw. This was the practice of the fpoufe after flie

had

The King held in the Galleries, 25

had obtained a meeting with Chriil, Cd?it. iii. 5.
/ charge you, 0 ye daughters of Jerufalem, by the
roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye Jlir 7iot up^
nor awake my love, till he pleafe. Particularly, there
are two or three evils that you fnould carefully guard
againft. Beware of fecurity. If you were paying
a vifit to your relation, you would think him tired
of your company, if he fliould fall afleep befide
you. Has Chrift paid a vilit to thy foul, and wilt
thou fall afleep in his very prefence and company ?
This is very provoking to the Lord Jefus, Cajit. v. 3.
the fpoufe there entertains Chrifl's vifit with floth ;
/ iM've put off my coat, how pall I put it on ? / have
wafied my feet, how Jloall I defile them ; But what
comes of it ? Chrift withdrev/, ver. 6. / opened to
my beloved, hut ;;zy hclcvedhad withdrawn hirnfelf, and
was gone : I fought him, but I coidd not find him ; /
called him, but he gave me no anfwer. Beware of
turning proud of your attainments : pride of gifts,
pride of grace, pride of attainments is what Chrift
cannot away with; he gives grace to the humble, but
he rejficih the proud, and beholdeth them afar off. Be-
ware of worldly-mindednefs, or fuffering your hearts
to go out immoderately after the things of tjme ;
for this is difpleafmg to the Lord, and intercepts
the light of his countenance, Ifa.Wii. ij. For the'
iniquity of his covetoufnefs I was wrath, and fmote
him 'j I hid me, a?id was wrath. The friendlliip of
this world is enmity with God. Beware of un-
belief the root of all other evils, and particularly
the root and fource of diftance and eftrangement
between Chrift and the foul j for an evil heart of
unbelief caufes to depart from the living Cod. In
a word, keep a ftri^t watch and guard againft every
thing that may defile the lodging of Chrift in thy
foul. Under the law, God appointed porters to

keep

26 The King held in the Galleries,

keep watch at the doors of the temple, that no-
thing might enter in to defile that houfe, which
was the dwelling-place of his name. Thy foul
and body is the temple wherein Chrift dwells by
his holy fpirit, and therefore guard againft every
thing that may defile it, and provoke him to depart >
for, if any man defile the temple of God, him Jhall
God deftroy ; for the temple of God is holy^ which
temple ye are, i Cor. iii. 1 7.

2. If you would hold the king in the galleries,
it is necefiary that grace be kept in a lively exercife ;
for thefe are the fpikenard and fpices that fend forth
a pleafant fmell in his noilrils. Let faith be kept
in exercife j let thy eye be continually on him -, he
is exceedingly taken with the looks of faith, Cant,
iv. 9. THoou hafi ravijhed my heart, my fifier, my
fpoufe ; thou haft ravijhed my heart with one of thine
eyes, with one chain of thy neck. Keep the fire of
love burning upon the altar of thy heart -, for Chrifl
loves to dwell in a warm heart, i John. iv. 16. He
that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Maintain a holy and evangelical tendernefs and
melting of heart for fin j for the Lord is nigh unto
them that are of a broken heart, andfavethfuch as be
cf a contrite fpirit. And let hope be kept up in
oppofition to a finking defpondency. Chrifi: does
not love to fee his friends drooping in his company ;
no, no ; lie takes pleafure in them that fear him, and
in thofe that hope in his mercy.

3. If you would have Chrifi: fi:aying with you
in the galleries, you mufi: put much work in his
hand ; for Chrifi; does not love to fiay where he
gets not employment. Haft thou any ftrong cor-
ruption to be fubdued ? Tell him of it ; for this
is one part of his work, to fubdue the iniquities of
his people. Haft thou no fin to be pardoned, the

guilt

The King held in the Galleries, 2 7

guilt whereof has many time flared thee in the
face ? Tell him of it; for his name is JESUS, be-
caufe hefaves his people from their Jins, Haft thou no
want to be fupplied ? Tell him of it ; for there is
all fulnefs in him, fulnefs of merit and fpirit, ful-
nefs of grace and truth. He has a liberal heart,
and he devifes liberal things. Haft thou no doubts
or difficulties to be refolved ? Tell him your
doubts 3 for he is an interpreter among a thoufand.
Employ him, not only for yourfelves, but for o-
thers; employ him for your miother-church ; intreat
him to come unto your mother s houfe^ and to the
chambers of her that conceived you ; That he would
break thefe heavy Yokes that are wreathed about
her neck at this day ; That he may build up the
walls of his ferufalem^ make her a peaceable ha-
bitation, and the praife of the whole earth ; That
he may take the foxes, the little foxes, that fpoii
the vines, I mean fuch teachers and preachers as
are troubling the peace of the church, and ob-
ftrudting the progrefs of the gofpel with their new-
fangl'd opinions. But I muft not infift.

3 . A third fort of perfons I propofed to fpeak
to, were thefe who are perhaps complaining, that
they have been attending in the galleries of ordi-
nances, and particularly at a communion-table ;
yet they cannot fay, dare not fay, that they were
privileged to fee the king's face. Alas ! may fome
poor foul be faying, I thought to have got a meet-
ing with Zion'^ king, but hitherto I have mift my
errand : T^he comforter that JJjould relieve my foul is far
from me-, and /, whither Jhall Igo^ Anf. I ftiall only
fuggeft a word of encouragement and advice unto
fuch of the Lord's people as may be in this cafe.

( I.) Then, do not think thy cafe unprecedented.
Poor foulj what thinkeft thou of David, Afaph^

Heman^

28 l^he King held in the Galleries,

Henian, yea, of Chrift himfelf ? ( 2 . ) Altho' Ziofis
king may hide himfelf for a little, yet he will not
always hide, kft the fpi-rit fiould fail before him., Pfal.
XXX. 4, 5. S>ing unto the Lord^ (O ye faints of his)
and gi"ce thanks at the remembrance of his hoU?2efs,
For his anger endureth but for a moment ; in his fa-
vour is life : ^weeping may endure for a nighty but joy
Cometh in the mcrning. Ifa. liv. 7, 8. For a fmall
moment ha've I forfaken thee., but isoith great fnercies
'will I gather thee. In a little ivrath I hid my face
from thee for a moment 5 hut with e'uerlajiing kindnefs
Iivill have tnercy on thee, faith the Lord thy redeemer.
(3.) Perhaps the king has been in the galleries with
thy foul, when yet thou waft not aware that it was
he. He w^as with facob at Bethel, and he wift it
not ; He was with the difciples going to E?nfnaus^
and yet they miftook him. ^fl- How fhall I
know whether the king has been in the galleries
with my foul ? For anfwer,

1 . Art thou mourning and forrowing over thy
apprehended lofs ? Does it grieve thee at thy very
heart to think that thou fliouldft be at yeriifalem^
and not fee the king's face j at the king's table, and
not have the king's company ? If this be real mat-
ter of exercife to thee, thou doft not want his gra-
cious prefence, tho' thou art not aware 3 for he is
ever nigh mito them that are of a broken heart. Chrift
is at Mary?, hand when flie is drov/n'd in tears for
the want of his company, and faying, "Ihey have
taken away my Lord^ and I know not where they have
laid him.

2. Haft thou got a further difcovery of thine
own emptinefs, poverty and nakednefs ; and is thy
foul abafed and laid in the duft on this account ?
This fays Chrift has been prefent -, for he comes
in a work of humiliation, as well as in a w^ork of

confolation*

The King held in the Galleries. 29

confolation. Perhaps the devil is .condemning, the
law is condemning, confcience is condemning thee,
and thou art condemning thyfelf as faft as any :
be not difcouraged, Chrifl is not far away, Pfal.
cix. 31. Hejiands at the right-hand of the poor ^ to
fave him from thofe that condemn his foul.

3. Art thou juftifying the Lord, and laying the
blame of thy puni/hment upon thyfelf, as Davidy
Pfal. xxii. I, 2, 3. My Gody my God, why haji then
forfaken me .^ Why art thou Jo jar from the words of
my roaring F 0 my God, I cry to thee in the day-titne^
hut thou hearef not j and in the night-feafon, and am
notfde?it. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabiteft
the praifes of Ifrael.

4. Is thy hunger and thirft after Chrifl incr^afed
by thy apprehended want of his gracious prefence ?
This fays that he has been really prefent, for his
bleffing is upon thee, Mat. v. 6. Blejfed are they
that hunger and thirji after righteoifnefs. And know
for thy comfort, that he fatisfcth the lo?igi?tg foul,
and filleth the hungry foid with good things.

5. Art thou refolved to wait on him and keep
his way, although he hide his face and withdraw
his fenfible prefence ? Chrifl has not been altoge-
ther a ilranger ; no. He is good to them that wait 071
him, and to the foul that feeks him, and is really ;z/]g-i6
to all that call 07i him in truth.

zdly, A word of advice, and only in fo many
words.

1 . Give not way to defpondency ; argue againfl
it, ^s David, Pfal. xlii. 5. Why art thou c aft down,
O my foul? and why art thou difqideted in fne ? Hope
thou in God, for I Jkall yet praife him for the help of his
countenance.

2. See that you juflify God, and beware of charg-
ing him fooliflily. See what was Va'vid's prad:ice,

and

^30 The King held in the Galleries,

and herein he was a type of Chrift himfelf, Ffah
xxii. he is under hidings, v. i . My God, my God,
why haft thouforfaken me ? &c. What follows ? v.
3. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabit eft thepraifes
of Ifrael.

3 . Trufl in a hiding God,- as Job did, T^hough
he Jlay me, yet will I truft in him. Job. xiii. 1 5.
This the Lord calls his people to, under darknefs,
Jja. 1. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord,
and obeyeth the voice of his fervant, that walketh in
darknefs, and hath no lights Let him truft in the name
of the Lord, andftay upon his God.

4. Wait on him in the galleries of ordinances,
hang about the pofts of his door ; and, when you
do not find him in publick, feek him in private,
and in the retired galleries of fecret prayer, medi-
tation and conference : and go a little further, like
the fpoufe, above and beyond all duties and ordi-
nances, to himfelf; He is good to them that wait on
him, and to the foul that feeks him: they that wait on
the Lordjhall renew their firength : they Jhall mount
up with wings as eagles ; they JJ?all run and not be
wearv, and they fhall walk and 7iot faint . The fpoufe
did fo, and at length {he found him whom her
foul loved. Cant. iii. 4. It was but a little that I
pafj'edfrom them, but I found him whom my foul loveth-,
I held him, and would ?wt let him go. The Lord
blefs his word.

T'Ae

^ T'he Believer Exalted in imputed
Righteoufnefs j

BEING

A SERMON preached at the celebration of
the Lord's Supper, at Largo^ Sabbath-lsAommg^
June 4, 1 72 1.

By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

Surely jhall one fa)\ in the Lord have I righteoufnefs and
Jirength : even to him fhall men ccme^ and all that are
incenfed againfi him fhall he afoamcd. In the Lord fhall
all the feed of Ifrael hejuftified, and Jhall glory.

Ifa. xlv. 24, 25.

^M I I ■—»— I ■■■■■! I IMIMl I . ■■■ II I ■ ■< » ■■ ■ .1 ■■ . .,, wi»

PSAL. IXXXIX. 16.

In thy 72ame fnall they rejoice all the day :
and in thy righteoufnefs fhall they be ex-
alted,

TH E pfalmlft, in the beginning of this
pfalm, having run out at great length in
the praife and commendation of the God of Ifrael^
he comes, from the 15th verfe of the pfalm, to

declare

• The fuljeSl of the follonxiing difcourfe is high, noble and excellent'.
But my defign at that time, being only to -preface a little before the Ailion-
fermon, by that emitient and 'worthy fervant of Chriji, Mr. William
Moncrief i / tQok care to abridge my thomhtf upon it at much as pojjtble.

'^' Jhai'g

«2 TJdb Believer Exalted

declare the happlnefs of his Jfrael^ or of true be-
lievers, of whom Jjrael according to the flefh
were a type.

Now God's Ifrad 2iVt a happy people, upon
feveral accounts. Firjly becaufe they are privileged
to know the joyful found J in the beginning of the 1 5 th
verfe : the gofpel has a joyful found, a found of
peace, a found of life, a found of liberty and fal-
vation. You are all privileged to hear this found,
with your bodily ears j but the great queftion is,
if you do know it, underftand it, and give faith's
entertainment to it. Alas, Ifaiah'^ lamentation
may but too juftly be continued, with refped: to
the greatefl: part of the hearers of the gofpel. Who
hath believed our report f 2dl)\ God's Jfrael are a
happy people, becaufe they walk in the light of his
countenance^ in the clofe of the 1 5th verfe : they are
privileged with the fpecial intimations of his love,
which puts more gladnefs in their hearts, than
when corn, wine, and oil doth abound. 3^/y,
Whatever difcouragement they may meet with
from the world, yet ftill they have ground of re-

/ ha've Jince handled the fame text, in my ordinary courfe at large:
hut the difcourfe halving been quarrelled, as 'was hinted in the preface to
that on Rev. iii. 4. I judged it ft to fend it abroad, in the <very fame drefs
ifiivhich, to the bef of my remembrance, it 'vias delivered. It is not accu-
racy of file or 7ncthod I ft up for, but the edification of the poor, to ^^hcn:
the gofpel is preached; aiid therefore fhall contend 'n.<:ith 'none upon thcfe
heads. But as for the dotlrines here dcU'vered, if I durfi not hazard my
civn fal-vation upon the truth of them:, I had ne--jer adventured to preach
them, as the truths of God to others. I am fully pprfuaded that one great
reafon nvhy the gofpel has fo little fuccefs in our day, is, becaufe our dif-
courfes generally are fo little calculate for pulling doivn our oivn, and ex-
alting the righteovfnefs of Chrlf, as the alone foufidation ixhich God hath
laid in^Zj'ion. Our Sermons lofe their favour and c^cacy for fal'vaticn, if
thisbe^j:a7iting: and 1 humbly think the great apofle Paul <i>:as of this
mind, Rom. i. 16, 17. I am not afliamed of the gofpel of Chrill, for
it is the power of God to falvation to every one that bclieveth. And
if any afk. Whence cojnes the gofpel to haaie fuch pon.ver to fal'vation? He
immediately anf<vjcrs, for therein is revealed the righteoufnefs of God
from faith to faith.

joicing

in imputed Right eoufnefs, 5^"

joicing in their God. Li thy name fiall they rejoice
all the day, and, T^lmnks be unto God, fays the a-
pQllle, JVho always caujeth us to triumph in Chrijli
j\.thlyy Their happinefs is e\4dent from this, that
they are dignified and exalted above others, by the
immaculate robe of a furety's righteoufnefs ; as you
fee in the words o£ my text. In thy right eoi/Jhefs
flail they be exalted.

In which words briefly we may notice, firjl. The
beHever's promotion, he is exalted. In the '^x^Adam
we were debafed unto the loweft hell ; the crown
having fallen from our heads : but in Chriftj the
fecond Adam, we are again exalted, yea, exalted
as high as heaven, for ^uoe fit together with him in
kea've?jly places, fays the apoftle. This is an incre-
dible paradox to a blind world, that the believer,
who is fitting at this moment upon the dunghill
of this earth, fhould at the fame time be fitting in
heaven in Chrift his glorious head and reprefenta-*
tive ; and yet it is indifputably true, that we Jit to-i
gether with him in heaverdy places, Eph. ii. 6. Yea,
in him. He rules the nations with a rod of iron^
and triumphs over, and treadeth upon all the pow-
ers of helL 2.dly, We have the ground of the be-
liever's preferment and exaltation, it is in thy
righteoufnefs. Is it not in any righteoufnefs of his
own : no, this he utterly difclaims, reckoning it
but dung and lofs, filthy rags, dogs meat : but it
is in thy righteoufnefs, that is, the righteoufnefs of
God; as the apoftles calls it, Rom. i. 17. T^he
righteoufnefs which is of God by faith, Phil, iii* 9=
The righteoufnefs of God is varioufly taken in fcrip-^
ture. Sometimes for the infinite redlitude and equi-
ty of his nature, PfaL xi, 7, ' 'The righteous Lord
kveth righteoufnefs. Sometimes for his redloral e-*
quity or diftributive jufiiice^ which he exercifeth

D ' in

34 "^^ Believer Exalted

-in the government of the world, rewarding" the
good, and punifhing evil-doers, Pfdl. xix.,.2.
RighUouf?2efs and judgmcfit are the habitation of thy
throne. Sometimes if is put for his veracity and

cfaithfulnefs in accompliiliing his word of promife,
or in executing his word of threatning, Pfal. xxxvi.
56. ^Thy faitbfubiefs reacheth unto the clouds^ thy
righteoiifnefs is like the great mou7itains. Sometimes
it is put for the perfed; righteoufnefs which Chrifl
the Son of God as our furety and mediator brought
in, by his obedience to the law, and death on the
crofs, for the juftification of guilty finners : and
this, as I faid, is frequently called the righteoufnefs
of God ; and in this fenfe I underftand it here in

. Xhe text. In thy righteoufnefs fiall they be exalted.
lit: The obfervation is much the fame with the
words themfelves, namely, That in or by the righ-
teoufnefs of Chrifi^ believers are exalted. Or thus,
Whatever honour or happinefs believers are exalted to,
the righteoifnefs of Chrijl is the ground and foundation
of it : it is all owing to the compleat obedience, and
meritorious death of the ever-bleiled furety.

This is the foundation, which God hath laid in
Zion, upon which all our happinefs in time and
through eternity is built. I have not time now to
adduce parellel texts of fcripture for the confirma-
tion of this dod:rine, neither can I fland upon a
long profecution of it, confidering what great work
you have before you throughout this day: all I
j(hall do, fliall be only, in the firft place, to offer
a few propofitions concerning this righteoufnefs,
that you may underftand both the nature and necef-
iity of it. Secondly y give you a few of its proper-
ties, to clear its excellency. I'hirdly, fpeak a little
of the believer's exaltation by virtue of this righ-
teoufnefs. Fourtlyy apply.

Fot

in imputed Righieoufnefs. 35

For the firji., To offer a few propofitions con*
cerning this righteoufnefs, for clearing its nature
and neceffity. i//, then, you would know, that
God having made man a rational creature, capable
of moral government, he gave him a law fuited to
liis nature, by which he was to govern himfelf in
the duties he owed to God his great creator. This
law was delivered to man in the form of a covenant,
with a promife of life upon the condition of perfed;
obedience, and a threatning of death in cafe of dif-
obedience, G^?z. ii. 17. Thus flood matters between
God and man in a ftate of innocency.

idly^ Adam, and all his pofterity in him, and
with him, having broken the covenant, are become
liable to the curfe and penalty of it ; fo that our
falvation is become abfolutely impofTible, until juf-
■ tice be fatisfied, and the honour of the broken lavy
repaired ; the law and juflice of God are very pe-
remptory, and ftand upon a full fatisfadtion and re-
paration, otherwife heaven's gates (hall be fhut
and eternally barred againft man and all his pofte-
rity. The flaming fword of juftice turns every
way, to keep us from accefs unto the paradife that

• is above.

3^/^, While man in thefe circumftances was
expedling nothing but to fall an eternal facrifice
unto divine juftice, the eternal Son of God, in his
infinite love and pity to perifhing finners, fteps in
as a mediator and furety 5 offering not only to take

• our nature, but to take our law-place, to ftand in
' our room and ftead ; whereby the whole obligation

of the law, both penal and preceptive, did fall up-
on him : that is, he becomes liable and obliged
both to fulfil the command, and to endure the
curfe of the covenant of works which we had vio-
lated. And here, by the way, 'tis fit to let you

D 2 know^

^6 l^he Believer 'Exalted

know, that it was an adl of amazing grace in the
Lord Jehovah, to admit a furcty in our room ; for,
had he ftood to the rigour and feverity of the law,
he would have demanded a perfonal fatisfadlion,
without admitting of the fatisfacftion of a furety ;
in which cafe, Adxim and all his poflerity had fal-
len under the ftroke of avenging juftice, through-
out eternity. But glory to God in the highefl, who
not only admitted of a furety, but provided one,
and laid help upon one that is mighty.

4/^/)?, Chrift, the eternal Son of God, being in
the fulnefs of time made of a woman, arid made
under the law ; as our furety, he actually, in our
room and ftead, fulfilled the whole terms of the
covenant of works : that is, in a word, he obey'd
all the commands of the law, and endured the curfe
of it, and thereby brought in a compleat law-righ-
teoufnefs ; where guilty iinners are juftiiied before
God : and this is the righteoufnefs by which we
are exalted, by his adlive and paffive obedience he
magnifies the law and makes it honourable, and
the Lord declares himfelf to be well pleafed for
his righteoufnefs fake.

^thly^ Although Chrift obeyed the law, and fa-
tisfied Juftice, and thereby brought in an everlafl-
ing law-righteoufnefs, for a whole eled: world ;
yet the elefi of God are never exalted by virtue of
this righteoufnefs, till in a day of power they are
brought to receive it by faith, and to fubmit to it
for juflification before God. We difclaim that An^
tinotnian error of an a<5tual juftification from eter-
nity, or yet of a formal juftification, bearing
date from the death of Chrift. We own indeed,
with all proteflant found divines, that it was the
purpofe of God to juftify his eled from eternity,
and that all the ek(S were reprefented by Chrifl in

his

tn' imputed Right eoufnefs, 3^

his obedience unto the death : but that they are ac-
tually juflified before converlion, or before their
application by faith unto the blood of Jefus, is im-
pofhble J becaufe the fentence of the broken law
ftands always in force againfl them, till they ad:u-
ally believe in the Son of God ; for he that believes
not, is condemned already : and how can they be
both juflified and condemned at the fame time ?
'Till then, they are children of wrath, even as
others.

6/M', This righteoufnefs of the furety is con-
veyed unto us by imputation, as is abundantly plain
from many places of fcripture, particularly Ro7n,
iv. 6, II, 12, 23, 24. God reckons what the fure-
ty did in our room unto us j fo that his righteouf-
nefs becomes as much ours for juftification before
God, as though we had obeyed the law, and fatis-
iied juflice in our own perfons. Now, this impu-
tation of the furety's righteoufnefs runs principally
upon thefe two or three things, i/?. Upon the e-
ternal tranfadion between the Father and the Son,
wherein the Son of God was chofen and fuftained
as the furety of an eled world : then it was that he
gave bond to the Father, to pay their debt, in the
red gold of his blood ; faying, Sacrifice and offering
thou did not defire j lo I co'me^ I delight to do thy 'will,
2.dly\ It's grounded upon the actual imputation of
our lins unto him. T^he Lord laid on him the iniqui^
ty of tis all. There is a bleft exchange of places be-
tween Chriil: and his people ; he takes on our fin
and unrighteoufnefs, that we may be clothed with
the white robe of his righteoufnefs, 2 Cor, v. 2 1 •
He was made fin for us who knew no /in, that we might
be made the righteoufiefs of God in him, ^dly. This
imputation goes upon the ground of the myftical
union between Chriil and tlie believer, When the"

D 3 poor

38 The Believer Exalted

poor foul is determined in a day of power to em-
brace the Lord Jefus in the arms of faith, Chrift
and he do that very moment coalefce into one
body. He becomes a branch of the noble vine ;
a member of that body whereof Chrift is the glori-
ous head of eminence, influence and government.
And being thus united to Chrift, the long and
white robe of the mediator's righteoufnefs is fpread
over him, whereby he is not only freed from con-
demnation, but for ever fuftained as righteous in
the fight of God, i Cor. i. 30. But of him are ye in
Chriji Jejus^ who of God is made unto us wifdoniy ajid '
righteoujnefs, andJanSlifcation, and redemption.-

The fecond general head was, to offer a few
properties of this rightedUfnefs in which believers
are exalted, from whence its excellency will appear,
ly?. Then, it's an every way perfeB ^Lndjpotlefs
righteoufnefs : and how can it be otherwife, fee-
ing it is the righteoufnefs of God ? So perfed: is
it, that the holy law is not only fulfilled, but mag-
nified and made honourable thereby, Ifa. xlii. 21.
So perfe<ft is this righteoufnefs, that the piercing
eye of infinite juftice, cannot find the leaft flaw
in it : yea, juftice is fo fully fatisfied therewith,
that God fpeaks of the foul who is clothed there-
with, as though it was in a ftate of innocency and
perfecftly freed from fin 3 Thou art all fair, my love,
there is nofpot in thee. He hath not beheld iniquity in
Jacob, nor perverfnefs in Ifi-ael. Indeed, he beholds
many fpots in the believer, confldered in himfelf ;
but not a fpot is in him, confidered as under the
covert of this fpotlefs righteoufnefs.

7.diy, It is a meritorious righteoufnefs. The redemp-
tion of the foul is fo precious, that it would have cea-
fed for ever, unlefs it had been redeemed by this
righteoufnefs : for filver, and gold, and fuch cor-
ruptible

in imputed Right eouf/iefs, 39

ruptible- things could never do it. Lay heaven,
and all the glories thereof, in the ballance with-"
this righteouihefs, they v^ould be all light as a- ^
feather compared with it. Heaven is called a
purchafed inheritance, and this righteoufnefs is
the price that bought it. There is fuch merit in
itj that it expiates lins of the blackefl hew, and
redeems a whole ele6t world, from wrath and
ruin : yea, fuch is the intrinfick value of it, that
had it been fo deiigned, it was fufficient to have
redeemed the whole pofterity of Adam, yea, ten
thoufand worlds of angels and men, upon a fup-
pofition of their exiftence, and fall. O with what
confidence then may a poor foul venture it's eternal
falvation upon this bottom !

3^/)', It is an incomparable righteoufnefs : there
is no righteoufnefs among the creatures that can be
compared with it. Compare it with our own righ-
teoufnefs by the law, and the apoftle Paul will tell
us, that he reckoned liis pharifaical righteoufnefs
before converfion, yea, his own obedience after
converfion, but as dung, when laid in the ballance
with it. Phil. iii. 8. Compare it with Adam\ righ»
teoufnefs in a ftate of innocence, or yet with the
righteoufnefs of the fpotlefs angels, they -are but
hke glow-worms when compared with this fun :
the one is but the righteoufnefs of a creature, but
here is the righteoufnefs of God.

^thly. It is 2l foul-beautifying and adornl?ig righ-
teoufnefs. If a. Ixi. 10. / will greatly rejoice in the
Lord J my foul fhall be joyful in my God, who hath
clothed tne with the garments of falvation, and covet- ed
. me with the robes of righteoufnefs -, as a bridegroom
. decketh himfelf with ornaments, and as a bride adorn^.
eth her f elf with jewels. The poor foul that was
. black by lying among the pots, when clothed with

D^ '^ thi«|

40 T^he Believer "Exalted

this robe, fliines as the wmgs of a dove covered with
fdve?', and her feathers with yello^v gold.

^thly. It is an everlajling righteoufnefs, as the
prophet Daniel calls it, Chap. ix. 24. Indeed, this
righteoufnefs had no being, fave in the purpofe
and promife of God, till Chrill actually appeared
in our nature, and fatisfied the commands of the
law, and demands of juftice j however, upon that
very bei7ig that it had in the purpofe and promife
of God, it became effedual for the j unification of
all the old-teftament faints. This righteoufnefs
then, I fay, is an everlafting righteoufnefs, both
as to the contrivance and duration of it. The con-
trivance of it bears date from the council of peace
in the ancient yeai's of eternity : for the furety was
fet up from everlafting. And as it is everlafting in
its root, fo alfo in its fruit j for, upon this righ-
teoufnefs, the faints ftiall ftand and be affoil'd, at
the day of judgment J and, upon this bottom, they
fhall have their ftanding in heaven throughout e-
ternity. The fong of the redeemed for ever will be.
He loved us, and wafied us with his blood.

6thl)\ It is a foul-dignifying and exalting righ-
teoufnefs. Solomon, Prov. xxv. 5, fpeaking of equity
in the adminiftration of juftice, fays, that even that
kind of righteoufnefs exalteth a nation. I am fure
this holds true of the imputed righteoufnefs of the
Lord Jefus, as you fee in my text. In thy righteouf-
nefs fiall they be. exalted. But this leads to the

Third thing in the method, which was to fpeak
pf the believer's exaltation by virtue of this righ-
teoufnefs. And here I ftiall very briefly ftiew, Firjl^
what evils it exalts him above. Secondly y what hapi*
pinefs and dignity it exalts him to.

Firji^ What evils it exalts him above.

i/?, It exalts him above the law as a covenant of
%vorks 5 yea, above both the compjianding and con-
demning

hi imputed Righte9tif7jefs. 41

(femning power of that covenant. Ye are not un-
der the law, fays tlie apoflle, but under grace,
RoiJL VI. 14. And if they arc not iindtT it, it follows
that they are exalted above it. Indeed, they are
not, and cannot be above it as a rule of duty : no
creature can be difpenfed from the obligation of*
yielding obedience to the laws of the great creator ;
and the believer in a peculiar manner is bound to
obey the law of a creator, in the hand of a medi-
ator : but, confidering the law as a covenant of
works, demanding the debt of obedience as a con-
dition of life, or threatning eternal wrath in cafe
of difobedience, the believer is indeed exalted above
it by the righteoufnefs of Chrill: : and if the law at
any time attempt to bring the believer in bondage
to it, he is to ftand faft in the liberty wherewith
Chrift hath made him free. The bond-wom.an Ha"
gar, with her offspring of legal fears and terrors,
are caft out by faith in the Lord Jefus Chrifl:, Gal. iv.
30. If a believer in Chrift fliall hear the thunder-
ings and curfes of mount £^7/, or Shiai, he has no
reafon to be affrighted ; for Chrift by his righteouf-
nefs hath redeemed from the curfe of the law.
Thou art not come to the mount that burned with fire,
or unto blacknejs^ and darknefs, and teinpcji ; but thou
art come to mount Zion^ and to jefus the mcdJaior of
the JieiD covenant J and to the blood offprinklmg, which
fpeaks better thiiigs than the blood of Abel. The be-
liever is dead to the law by the body of Chrifl, be-
ing married unto a better hufband, even him that
is raifed from the dead.

'2.dly^ By this righteoufnefs the believer is exalted
above the world, Kev.y^i. i. Th^ ^ora^xv cloathed
with the fun, has the moo?i under her feet ; which
may not only point at the believer's duty to foar
heavenward in his affedions, but alfo his privilege

42 ^The Believer Exalted

in Chrift to trample both upon the frowns and
flatteries of this lower world ; according to that of
the apoftle, Tikis is the ^vitiory 'whereby ive overcome
the world, even our faith.

"^dly. By this righteoufnefs he is exalted above
the power and malice of fatan. Indeed, as long as
the believer is on this fide of Jordan, the Devil will
be haralling of him with his fiery darts, and do his
utmofl to make him go halting to heaven; but, by
virtue of this righteoufnefs, namely, the doing and
dying of our ever-bleffed furety, the devil is both
difarmed and deftroyed : the head of the old ferpent
is bruifed; for, through death, he deftroyed him
that had the power of death, that is the Devil. Aftd
by faith in the blood and obedience of the Lord Je-
fus, the believer treads fatan under his feet; they
overcome him by the blood of the lamb.

\thl)\ By this righteoufnefs the believer is exalted
above death. Perhaps thou art in bondage through
fear of death ; thy heart is like to faint and fail thee,
when thou lookeft to the fwellings of this Jordan :
but take a view of this righteoufnefs, and thou flialt
be exalted above the fears of it ; for although thou
be liable to the ftroke of death, yet by this right-
teoufnefs thou art freed from the fting of it. What
is the fling of death? It is lin. Now Chrift he has
Jinijhed tranjgrejjion, and made an end of fm^ by
bringing in everlafting righteoufnefs. And there-
fore thou mayeft roll that word like a fweet morfel
under thy tongue, Hof. xiii. 14. I will ranfom them
from the power of the grave: I will redeem them from
death: O deaths I will be thy plagues^ O grave ^ I
*will be thy deJiruBion.

^thh\ By this righteoufnefs the believer is exalted
above all accufations, from whatever quarter they
may come. Rom. viii. 3 3 . there the apolUe gives

in imputed Right eoiif?iefs, 4 j

a bold challenge, Who can lay any thing to the charge
of God's ek£if The challenge is univerfal in re-
ipecfl: of all accufers : as if he had faid, Is there any
in heaven, earth, or hell, that can accufe them?
It is univerfal in refpedt of all the accufedj for the
whole eled: of God are comprehended, among
whom there have been as great finners, as ever
breath'd on God's earth. And it is univerfal in
refped: of all crimes. It is not faid. Who fhall
lay this, or that, or the other crime to their charger*
But, any thiiig^ And what can be more comprehen-
five ? Now, what is the ground of this bold chal-
lenge ? 'Tis grounded on the righteoufnefs of Chrift :
for, fays the apoflle. It is God that jujiijiethy who is
he that condcmnethi It is Chrift that died^ yea^ rather
that is rifen agaiit^ &c. ^ sri^ ^ •

1 coiTiQ fecondly, to fhew, what happinefs or dig-
nity the believer is exalted to by virtue of this righ-
teoufnefs. And, in fo many words, I only name
thefe two or three particulars, i/?. He is exalted by
it unto a ftate of peace and reconciliation with God,
Rom, V. I . Being juftifted by faith, we have peace
with God. God for ever lays afide every grudge in
his heart againft the foul that is clothed therewith.

2dh\ They are exalted by this righteoufnefs un-
to a ftate of fonfl:iip. Chrift was tnade under the law,
to redeem us that were under the law, that we might
receive the adoption of fons. Gal. iv. 4.

"^dly. Unto a ftate of fellowfhip and familiarity
with God, and accefs to him with holy confidence
and boldnefs, Heb. iv. 14, 16. Having therefore,
brethren, boldnefs to enter into the holieft by the blood
of fefus, by a new and living way, which he hath con^
fecrated for us through the vail, that is to fay, his
jlejh J and having an high pri eft over the hoi fe oj God:
let us draw near with a true hearty in full affurance

44" ^^<^ Believer Exalted

cf faith* Heb. X. 19. &c. Uaving fiich a great high
priejl over the houfe of God, let its come with boUnefi
to a throne of grace. The believer may come un-
der the covert of this righteoufnefs, with as great
freedom unto God, as his Father in Chrifl, as ever
Adam could have done in a ftate of innocence.

4//^/)', At laft thou fliait be exalted to a ftate of
endlefs glory. For heaven (as I was hinting before)
is the purchafe of the obedience and death of
Chrift ; and faith a6ted on this righteoufnefs and
fatisfaftion is the path of life, by which we enter
into thcfe rivers of pleafures, and that fulnefs of
joy which is at God's right-hand for evermore.

Th.^ fourth thing was the application of the doc-
trine. And my firfl ufe fhall be of informaiion, in
thefc few particulars.

• if J Is it fo, that in a farety's righteoufnefs, be-
lievers are exalted j then fee hence, that whatever
account the world may make of them as the drofs
and ofF-fcouring of the earth, yet they are dignified
perfons in God's reckoning: Ever fince thou was
precious in my fight ^ thou haf been honourable.

2dh\ See hence, that the believer has no ground
of boafting. Why ? Becaufe it is not in his own,
but inChrifl's righteoufnefs, that he is exalted: boaf-
ing is excluded^ fays the apoftle ; by 'what law ? of
works F Nay, but by the la-w of faith, Rom. iii. 27.
If it were by our own doings or obedience that we
were exalted, we would have fomething to boaft
of: but fince it is in his righteoufnefs that we are
exalted, we have nothing whereof to glory in our
felves. There are three queftions that the apollle
afks, which may filence all flejfh, and put all boafi:-
ers to an eternal blufh, i Cor. iv. 7, JVIjo -maketh
thee to differ F What haji thcu that thou didft not re-
ceive ? Why does thou glory ^ as if thou kad72Qt received

it.

in imputed Right eoufnefs. 4^5

it. Let believers themlelves pofe their fouls with
thofc or the like inquiries, when pride begins to
arife in their breafls.

3^/i', See hence, what obligation we lye under
to the Lord Jefus : who, although he was the great
law-giver, yet was content to be made under the
law ; though he was the Lord of life, yet hum-
bled himfelf unto the death, to bring in that righ-
teoufnefs by which we are exalted. He was con-
tent to be numbered among the tranfgreiTors, that
we might be counted among the righteous : he was
content to become fin, that we might be made the
righteoufnefs of God : content to become a curfe
for us, that the bleiling of Abraham might reft
upon us. O admire this love, which paiTeth
knowledge.

4//?/)', See hence a noble antidote again ft a fpirit
of bondage unto fear. What is it that thou art a-
fraid of, O believer ? Indeed, if thou (in, thou
mayeft fear the rod of a father ; for he will viiit thy
tranfgreffion with the rod, and thine iniquity with
ftripes : but art thou afraid of vindictive wrath ?
There is no ground for this, Luke i. 74. He has
delivered us out of the hands of our enemies, that
we might ferve him without fear ; that is, without
all fervile and flavifli fear of wrath. Art thou a-
fraid of the tempefts of mount Sinai, there is no
ground for that, for the ftorm brake upon the head
of thy furety j and therefore thou may ling and fay,
as Ifa. xii. i . I^hough thou ivaji a?igry with me, thine
anger is turned away. Art thou afraid left thou be
refufed accefs unto the prefence-chamber ? Improve
this righteoufnefs by faith, and thou flialt fee that
the way to the holy of holies is opened, and get
the banner of love difplayed over thee. When ever
the poor believer takes the righteoufnefs of the fure-
ty

46 The Believer Exalted

ty in the hand of faith, and holds it up unto God a$
a ranfom of his own finding, he his fo well pleafed
with it, that his frowns are turned into fmiks. In
a word, you fliall never get rid of a fpirit of bond-
age, till you learn by faith to improve this law-bi-
ding righteoufnefs j and then indeed legal fears and
•terrors do evanifh, like the darknefs of the night
before the rifing of the fun.

Ufe fecond, Of reproof unto all thofe who are
feeking to exalt themfelves by a righteoufnefs of
their own, like the Jews, Rom. x. 3 . Who 'we?it
about to ejiablijh their own righteoufnefs ^ and ivould
not fubmit to the righteoifnef of God, There are
fome of the hearers of the gofpel, who exalt them-
felves in a negative righteoufnefs : they are not
fo bad as others ; they are free of grofs out-break*-
ings, being no common drunkards, fwearers, or
fabbath-breakers, and therefore conclude that all
is right with them : but firs, the pharifee could
make this brag, and Taid before converfion could
fay, that touching the law he was blamelefs ; and
yet, when God opened his eyes, he found himfelf
lying under the arrefl; of jullice : for, 'when the
commandmeiit came, fn revived, and he died. Others
are exalting themfelves in a moral kind of righ-
teoufnefs : they not only ceafe to do evil, but do
many things that are materially good : they are
fdper, temperate, jull in their dealings, liberal to
tne poor, good peaceable neighbours ; they love
every body, and every body loves them j they keep
the commandments as well as they can; and this
is the ground they are ftanding upon. But I may
fay to you, as Chrift faid to the young man, who
told him. All thefe things have I kept from my youth
up; one thing thou yet lackeji, O what is that;?
fay you, I anfwer, it is to be brought off from that

rotten

in imputed Right eoufnefs. 4y

rotten bottom of a covenant of works that ye are
ftanding upon. Ye want to fee that ye are fpiri-
tually dead in trefpalTes and fins, and that ye are
legally dead, condemned already, and the wrath
of God abiding on you. Ye want to fee, that all
your cum righteoiijncfi is as filthy ragSy and to be
made to fay with the church, furely in the Lord
have I 7'ighteoiifnefs and firength. Others will go
further than bare morality j they will abound in
the duties of religion, read, hear, pray, commu-
nicate, run from fermon to fermon, and upon
thefe things they rejR; : all thefe things are good in
their proper place 5 but if you build your hope of
acceptance here, you are flill upon a covenant of
works bottom, feeking righteoufnefs, as it were by
the works of the law j and while you do fo, you do
but feek the living among the dead. All your
works are but dead works, till you be in Chriil ;
and they will but fland for cyphers in God's rec-
koning, till you be brought to fubmit to this righ-
teoufnefs, by which alone guilty linners can be ex-
alted. Others rely upon a mix'd kind of righteouf-
nefs : they will freely own that their duties and per-
formances will never exalt them into favour and
acceptance with God, but, O, fay they, it is Chrifl:
and our duties, Chrift and our prayers, he and our
tears and repentance, that muft do it. But believe
it, firs, Chrift and the idol of felf will never ce-
ment. Thefe old rotten rags will never piece in
with the Vv'hite and new robe of the righteoufnefs of
the Son of God ; and if you adventure to mingle
them together, Chrifi fiall profi.t you Jiothing^ Gal. v.
2, 3,4. Others again, they v/ill pretend to renounce
all their v/orks and duties, and own with their
mouths that it is by faith in Chrift only that they
hope to be accepted ; but tho' they own this with

their

4? 72^ Believer Exalted'

their mouth, yet ftill their hearts cleave fail unta
a covenant of works 5 they Vv^ere never through the
law dead to the law. And when nothing elfe will
do, they will make their own ad: of believing the
righteoufnefs on which they lean for acceptance 5
which is flill a feeking righteoufnefs in themfelves :
whereas, if ever we be juHified before God, we
muft have it in the Lord Jefus, faying, i?i him will
we be juftified, and in him alone will we glory.
Faith carries the foul quite out of itfelf 3 yea, faith
renounces its own ad: in the point of j unification.
All thefe and many other rooms and lying refuges
hath the devil and our own hearts devifed, to lead
us off from Chrifl : but O firs, believe it, thefe
are but imaginary fanduaries, and the hail will
fweep them away. Nothing but the doing and dy-
ing of the furety, apprehended by faith, v,^ill ever
exalt you into favour and feilowililp with God ; or
acquit you from the curfe and condemnation of the
broken law : and unlefs ye betake yourfelves to the
horns of this bleffed altar, to this refuge of God's
appointing, you are undone; and you may read
your doom, Ifa. 1. 11. Behold^ all ye that kindle a
fire ; that cc??jpafs yourfelves about \Yixhfpaj-ks : walk
in the light of your fire ^ and in the fparh that ye have
ki tidied. This f mil ye have cf ??mie hand, yejhalllye
down in farrow,

Ufe third, o^ trial. Is it fo, that in Chrift's righ-*
teoufnefs we are exalted ? O then, firs, try if you
be really exalted by this righteoufnefs.

There is the more need to try this now, that yoir
are to approach the table of the Lord ; this righ-
teoufnefs is the wedding-garment without which
you cannot be welcome guefts. And, if you ad-»
venture to meddle with the fymbols of Chrill's body
&nd blood without it, you may exped that the

mafter

ifi imputed Right eoufnefs, 49

tnafter of the feafl: will fay to you, F7~icnd how camejl
thou hither^ wanting the wedding^garment ? For your
trial, I offer thefe two or three things. Fii'Ji^ Hafl
tliou feen thy felf condemned by the law or cove-
nant of works ? Every man by nature is condemned
already, while out of Chrift. Now, the ordinary
way that God takes of bringing an eledl foul into
Chrift, and under the covering of his righteoufnefs,
is by difcovering unto him the fentence of condem-
nation that he is under, by virtue of the broken
law ; and thus paves the way toward his acceptance
of Chrift as the Lord our righteoufnefs. For thus it
is that the law is our fchool-mafter to lead us to
Chrift, that we may be juftified by faith. The
Lord leads the linner to mount Z/o;z by the foot of aS/-
nai: the fpirit's way is firft to convince of lin, and then
of righteoufnefs. 2^/y, Has the Lord difcovered
the furety and his righteoufnefs to thee ? And has
thy foul found reft here ? Perhaps the law and its
curfes, juftice and wrath were purfuing thee % and
thou could not find a hole wherein to hide thy
head, all refuge failed: at length the Lord drew
by the vail, and difcovered his righteoufnefs as a
fufficient ftielter, faying, T'urn into the flrong hold^
thou pr if oner of hope ; and thither thou fled, as unto
a city of refuge, faying, This is 7ny rejly here will I
dwell. Readily, when it comes to this, there is a
little heaven of ferenity, and joy enters into the foul;
fo t}iat, if it were poftible, it would make heaven
and earth to ring with hallelujahs of praife unto
pod for this unfpeakable gift. Does thou not know,
■/O believer, fomething of tliis, to thy fweet expe-
Vience ? This fays, that in his righteoufnefs thou
art exalted. ldly\ When an arrow of convidlion is
•at any time ftiot by the hand of God into thy con-
"tfcience, whereby thy peace and qujet is difturbed,
]- E whither

JO T^he Believer "Exalted

whither does thou run for eafe and relief? The
man that is married to the law, he runs unto the
law for relief and eafe ; the law is the thing, that
heals him -, his prayers, his tears, his reformation,
is that which flops the mouth of his confcience :
but as for the believer, he can never find reft on
this fide of the blood of fprinkling ; he gets his
healing only from under the wings of the fun of
righteoufnefs. No other balm will give him eafe,
but the balm of Gilead ; and no other hand can ap-
ply it, but the phyfician there. \thly^ If you be
exalted by imputed righteoufnefs, you will be the
real fiiudents of gofpel-holinefs. It is a grofs per-
verting of the gofpel, and a turning of the grace of
our God into wantonnefs, for folk to pretend that
they are juftified by the merit of Chrift, while they
are not at the fame time concerned to be fancflified
by the fpirit of Chrifl. San6tification, or freedom
from the power and dominion of fin, is a part, and
no finall part, of that falvation which Chrift has
purchafed by his obedience and death. T"//.' ii. 14.
Who gave hi?}ifelf fo?^ us, to redeem usfroj?i all iniqui-
ty^ and to purify unto himjelf a peculiar people, zealous
of good 'woj^ks. Jullification and fandiification go
always hand in hand : he who is made of God un-
to us righteoufnefs, is alfo made fandtification : we
are jufi:ified and fandified in the name of the Lord
Jefus, and by the fpirit of our God. Try your-
felves then by this, whether you be exalted by this
rigliteoufnefs. Are you delivered from the reign-
ing power of fin ? At leaft, is it fo far broken, that
it is become your burden, under which you groan
faying with the apoftle, Wretched man that I an\
*who will deliver me fr 0711 the body of this death ?

Ufe fourth fliall be of cofifolation and encourage-
ment to believers, who are exalted in this righteouf |

. ■• ne..V

in imputed Righteoufnefs, tt

nefs. By virtue of it, O believer, thou art intitled
unto every thing that pofTibly thou can ftand in
need of. Whatever grace or mercy thou wants,
thou fliall have it, if thou do but improve this lav7-
biding righteoufnefs. Wants thou pardoning grace,
to take away the guilt of fin ? That is one of the
gifts of God, thro' the righteoufnefs of Chrift ap-
prehended by faith : for he is Jet forth to be a propi^
tiation through faith in his bloody to Jhew fo7'th his
righteoufnefs for the remifjion of fins. Wants thou to
have thy peace with God confirmed ? Improve
this righteoufnefs by faith : for, beiiig jiftified by
faith ^ ive have peace with God through the Lordfefus
Chrifi. Wants thou accels unto the holieft ? By
faith in the blood of Jefiis hanie we accefs with bold^
nefs. Wants thou medicinal grace for healins; of
foul-plagues ? Improve this righteoufnefs by faith :
for, by hisftripes we are healed. Out of the fide of
our gofpel-altar comes forth living water, that heaU
eth the corrupt and dead fea of indwelling corrupti-
on, Ezek. xlvii. at the beginning. This is the tree
of life, whofe leaves are for the healing of the na-
tions. Wants thou a fhadow or covering, to flielter
thy weary foul from the fcorching heat of divine
anger, or of temptation from fatan, or tribulation
from the world ? Improve this righteoufnefs, and
lit down under the fhadow of it. It is as the/kadow
of a great rock in a weary land. Wants thou cou-
rage to look the law, or jufi:ice t)f God in the face ?
Here is a foundation for it : for under this covering:!
thou may look out with confidence ; and fay, JVho
can lay aity thijig to my charge ? Wants thou to have
the new covenant confirmed to thy foul ? Improve
this righteoufnefs by faith ? for Chrifi: by his obe-
dience and death, confirmed the covenant with many.
His blood is the blood of the new tefi;ament, and

£ z when

52 72^ Believer Exalted^ &'c.

when the foul by faith takes hold of it, the covenant
of grace is that moment confirmed unto it for ever.
In a Word, by virtue of this righteoufnefs, thou
may come to a communion table, and to a throne
of grace, and afk what thou wilt, our heavenly Fa-
ther can refufe nothing to the younger brethren,
who come to him in their elder brother's garment.
By virtue of this righteoufnefs thou may lay claim
to every thing, to all the bleffings of heaven and e-
ternity : thou did indeed forfeit thy right in the
firft ^dam j but the forfeiture is recovered, and the
right reflored to thee, upon a better ground, name-
ly, upon the obedience and death of the fecond
Sidam ; and thou comefl in upon his right. May
not all this then revive thy drooping fpirit ? And
make thee take up that fong in the text ? Li thy
name will I rejoice all the day : a?id in thy righteouf^
nefsjhall I be exalted.

Tie

^The Humble Soul the peculiar
favourite of Heaven :

BEING

A SERMON preached at Orwell, on a Faft-
Day before the adminiftration of the Lord's Sup-
per, July 27, 1721.

II II I — — ^ I i^— .^-— 1^— .^— ,^

By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

PFhen Aim are caji down, then thou Jhalt fay. There is
lifting tip: and he fhall fave the humble P erf on.

Job xxH. 29.

Be clothed with humility : for God rejijieth the proud, and
giv£th grace to the humble. Humble y our f elves therefore
tinder the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in
due time. ' i Pet. v. 5, 6.

P s A L. exxxviii. 6.

though the Lord be high^ yet hath he ref-
peSi unto the lowly: but the proud he
knoweth afar off,

IT is not material to enquire, when, or upon
what occafion this pfalm was penn'd: in the
beginning of the pfalm, the pfalmiil; enters upon a

* I thought to have given a Jhort account of 'what pajl, imth relation
to this fermon, intheJynodofF'iiS: but this being done upon the matter
by the publication of the ail of fynody nvhich pafi on that occajion; I judge
it needlefs.

Whether there be any thing of a turbulent or fchifmatick tendency ^ in if,
<is nuas reprrfentedtothe commiJJiQnoftheaJfembly, Maj,', 1 72 5; I leave
ta the impartial ^joorld to judge. ^

F 3 firm

54 ^^ Humble Soul

iirm refolution to praife the Lord^ and he lays
down feveral excellent grounds of praife and thankf-
giving through the body of the pfalm. As,

FirJ}^ He refolves to praife God, for the experi^
ence he had of his love and faithfulnefs in the ac-
complifhment of his gracious word of promife un-
to him, ver, 2, " I will praife thy name for thy
*' loving kindnefs, and for thy truth ; for thou haft
*' magnified thy word above all thy name." God
has a greater regard unto the words of his mouth,
than to the works of his hand : Heanjen and earth
Jhall pafs away, but one jot or title ofichat he hathfpo^
ken, jJdaU neijer fall to the ground. Some do under-
Hand this of Chrift the effential word, in whom he
lias fet his nan;ie, and whom he has fo highly ex-
glted, that he has given him a name above every
pame.

Secondly, David refolves to praife God, for the
experience he had of God's goodnefs, in hearing
his prayers, ver, 3 , In the day ivhen I cried unto thee,
thou anfweredji me, and Jlrengtlmedfi me with Jirength
in my foul. God granted him a fpeedy anfwer, for
it was in the very day that he cried, that he was
heard : and it was a fpiritual anfwer, he wzs>Jirength^
tied uoith ftrength in his foul. Would you have foul-
flrength for the work ye have in view : then cry un^.
to him, who is \hs,frength of Ifrael, for it: for, he
gives power to the faint, and encreafethfrength to them
that have no might.

thirdly. He refolves to praife God for the calling
of the Gentiles, which he forefaw by the fpirit of
prophecy, ver. 4, 5. The profperity and enlarge-
ment of the kingdom of Chrill, is what fills die
believer's mouth with hallelujahs of praife,

Fourthly, He refolves to blefs God for his difFe-?
irent ways of dealing with the humble and the

proud;

the peculiar favourite of Heaven, 5 5

proud: for his grace to the one, and his contempt
and rejedion of the other, in the words which I
have read, though the Lord be h?ghy yet hath he a
refpeB to the lowly : kit the proud he knoweth afar off,

'Tis the iirft part of the verfe I deiign to infift
upon. Where we may notice, Firjl, the character
of the gracious foul, he is a lowly perfon, one that is
emptied, and ahafed in his own eyes : he fees no-
thing in himfelf, either to recommend him to God
or man ; on which account he is fometimes called
poor infpirity Matt. v. 3 . "he has got fomething of
the mind and fpirit of Jefus in him, and fo has
learned of him who is meek and lowly. Matt. 11. 29.

2. We have here, God's tranfcendent greatnefs ;
he is the high Lord or Jehovah : he is the high and
lofty one, who inhabits eternity, and who dwells in the
high and holy place, to which no man can approach.
Who can think or fpeak of his highnefs in a fuit-
able manner ? It dazzles the eyes of linful mortal
worms, to behold the place where his honour dwells,
O how infinite is the diftance between him and us !
T^here are none of the fins of the mighty that can be com-
pared unto him -, yea, the inhabitants of the earth are
before him but as the drop in the bucket, and the fmall
diijl in the balance. He is not only high above men,
but above angels : cherubims and feraphims are his
minifiriiig fpirits. He is high above the heavens j
for the heaven, yea, the heaven of heavens cannot con-
tain him : and he htanbles himfelf when he beholds
things that are in heaven, O lirs, ftudy to entertain
high and admiring thoughts and apprehenfions of
the glorious majefty of God. For honour and ma-
jejly are before his face, Jirength and beauty are in his
tabernacle,

T^dly, You have the amazing grace of this /'^^^
Cod, Though the diflance between him and us be

E 4 infinite.

56 7^^ Humble Soul

infinite, yet he hath a regard to the lowly. The
^pojftle Feter exprelTeth this by giving grace to the
humble y I Pet. v. 5. God \^ good to all \ he diftrj-
butes the effedls of his common bounty, to the good
and bad, to the jufl and unjuft ; but he referves his
fpecial grace and favour for the meek and lowly
foul. What further is needful for explication,
will occur in the fequel of the difcourfe,

Obferve, That the lowly and humble foul , is the pe^
culiar favourite of the high God. Though God
be hi^h, yet hatli he refpe<5t unto the lowly.

This truth is fo evidently founded on the text,
ihat I fliall not confume time in adducing other
texts of fcripture to confirm it : many that I might
name will fall in, in the profeciition of the dottrine j
which I fhall attempt, through grace, in the foU
lovvang method,

Firfly I fhall give fbme account of this lowlinefs
and humility, and ihew wherein it confifts. 2dlyy
Prove, that the humble and lowly foul is the pecu-r
Jiar favourite of heaven. 3^/)', Why God has fuch
refpedt to the lowly, /[.thly^ Lay before you fome
marks or characters of the lowly and humble foul,
Sthly^ Offer fome motives prefTing you to feek after
it, 6thlyy Offer a few directions or advices, how
it may be attained.

Th<^firfi thing propofed, is, to give fome account
of this lowlinefs and humility, that ye may know
wherein it confifls. Now, lowlinefs being a rela-.
tive grace, we muft confider it in a threefold view ;
either, i , As it has a refped: unto ourfelves 5 or,
2. As it has a refped: unto others 3 or, 3. As it ha^
fL refpeCl unto God.

the peculiar favourite of Heaveri, 57

i/?, I fay, it may be confidered with refpeft to
ourfeives. And fo it implies,

I . Low and under-rating thoughts of ourfeives :
the humble foul has low thoughts of his own per-
fon J as David, I a?7i a njconn, and no man. I am
lefs than the leajl of thy ?ne?~cies, fays Jacob, He haa
low thoughts of his pedigree: he is not like the
princes of Zoan, that valued themfelves on this,
that they were the offspring cf aritient kings. Some
folk think there are none like them, becaufe they
are of fuch a clan, and fuch a family, tliey have
fuch lords and great perfons for their relations. But
the humble foul he makes little account of all thefe :
What am I? fays David , or what is my father s hoiife'?
that thou haji brought me hitherto. He confidered
himfelf as the degenerate plant of a ftrange vine j
as a rotten branch of the corrupted and fallen fami-
ly of Adam : he views the rock whence he was hewn,
and the hole of the pit whence he was digged, faying,
as in Pfal. li. 5. 1 was conceived infn, and brought
forth in iniquity. Again, the man has low thoughts
of his own abilities for any work or fervice he is
called to in his generation. O fays the lowly foul,
I fee I ani nothing, I can do nothing; I cannot of
myfelf think a good thought. I am not fufficient
of myfelf to think any thing as of myfelf, fays
Faid. I cannot read, hear, pray, communicate,
meditate, or examine myfelf: I fee fuch fm and
imperfedtion attending every duty I fet about, as
may juftly provoke a holy God to cafl it back
like dung upon rny face : I am fure my goodnefs ex^
tendeth not unto him, I fee I cannot fubdue one
corruption, or relift the leaft temptation, when
left to myfelf; I fall before it, and mufi: needs be
carried down the ftream like a dead fifh, unlefs the
J^ord's grace be fufficient for me. Again, the man.

has

Tide Htwthle Soul

has low thoughts of his attainments, whether moral
or evangelical. O fays Agiir, I ajn more brutijh
than any man, I have not the underfianding of a man,
I have not learned wifdom, nor have 1 knowledge of the
holy. And Paid, the great apollle of the Gentiles,
he did not reckon that he had attained, or tloat he
was already perfedj but he forgets thofe things
which were behind, reaching forth unto things that
were before, Fhil. iii. 12, 13.

2. This lowlinefs, and humility with refped to
ourfelves, has in it a felf-abhorrence, which is yet
a degree beyond the former : the man fees fo much
iin and guilt, fo much emptinefs, poverty and vile-
nefs about himfelf, that, with holy fob, he cries
out. Behold, I am vile-, ivhat Jloall I anfwer thee '^ I
abhor myfclf, and repent in diiji and ajl:es. Agreeable
unto which is that, Ezek. xxxvi. 3 i . Tejhall re-
member your own evil ivays, and your doings that 'were
not good, and lofhe yourfelves in your own fight for your
iniquity, and for your abominations.

3 . It has in it a finglenefs of heart in the dif-
charge of duty, without vain-glory, or pharifai-

^cal oflentation : it argues a proud hypocrital fpirit,
to pray, or gives alms, or do any duty, to be ittn ^^^
of men, that we may procure a name to ourfelves, <^Hf
or the approbation of others. I am afraid, there
are many that attend fcrmons, and facramental
occafions, with a defign to maintain their credit and
reputation amongfl their neighbours : verily, fuch
have their reward, but a forry one it is, when they
have got it : the day comes, when this fig-leaf co-
vering fliall be torn, and your nakednefs, emptinefs
and hypocrify expofed before men and angels. The
humble and lowly chrillian will make confcience
of duty, although none in the world fliould fee
him 3 yea, the more retir'd he is, he loves it the

better :

<ilJ

■I"

^^ CO

the peculiar favourite of Heaven. 5 9

better : he cares not though, in things of this na-
ture, his left-hand did not know what his right-hand
doth.

2dl)\ This lowhnefs and humility, confidered
with refpecft unto others, has thefe things in it.

1. A preferring of others above or before our-
felves : agreeable unto this is the apoftolical command,
Phil. ii. 3. Let nothing be done out of fir if e or "oain-
glory, but in lowUnefs of mind, let each efieem other
better than themfehes. Not that a child of God
fhould think a profane reprobate in a better ilate
than himfelf J but every true child of God v^ill fee
fo much in himfelf, as will make him ready to
think the worft reprobate as good, or rather better
than he is by nature j and he will fee that the leail
of faints have fomething v/herein they do excel him.
This was the difpofition of the great apoftle, he
looked on himfelf as the chief of finners, and the
leafl; of all faints.

2. A looking upon the gifts and graces of others
without a grudge. He will not fay, this or that
man darkens me : no, he rejoices to fee the gifts
and graces of God's fpirit abounding toward o-

ers ; Woidd to God (fays Mofes) that all the Lord's
^eople were prophets. And then he will fhun all vain
"comparifon of himfelf with others : or, with the
proud pharifee, God I thaftk thee, I am not as other
jnen, or yet as this publican. No, he rather finks in
his own efieem, when he looks on others, as Agur
did, Fro'U, XXX. 2.

Lafily, It has in it an affable, courteous carriage
toward all, i, Fet, iii. 8. Rehgion does not coun-
tenance a fuUen, morofe, and haughty carriage ;
no, on the contrary, we are exprefly commanded
to b^ gentle, Jhe%vi?7g all mecknefs to all men.

6o 72^ Humhk Soul

^dly^ This lowlinefs and humility of foul may be
conlidered, with reference unto God -, and fo it
impHes thefe things following.

I. High and admiring thoughts of the majefly
of God ; w^hen God difcovers himfelf, the man
finks into nothing in his own efteem. O will the
humble foul fay, with M^j, Exod. xv. ii. Who
is a God like unto thee, glorious in holinefs, fearful in
praifes, dcijig wonders ? 2. A holy fear and dread
of God always on his fpirits j efpecially in his im-
mediate approaches unto the prefence of God, in
the duties of his worfhip. Says he, the very an-
gels cover their faces with their wings before him,
crying, hol)\ hoh\ holy is the Lord God of Hofts :
how then iliall I, a man of polluted lips, take his
holy name into my mouth ? This makes him, with
the publican, to fmite upon his breaft j to fland a-
far off, crying, God be merciful to me afinner. That
is the language of the humble foul, which you
have, "Pfal. xv. i. Lord, who pall abide in thy ta-
hernacle ^ Whojlmll dwell in thy holy hill f And PfaU
xxiv. 3. Who J hall afcend into the hill of the Lord?
Who fall ft and in his holy place.

3. It has in it an admiring of every expreflio
of the divine bounty and goodnefs toward men i
general, and toward himfelf in particular. O fay
he, What is 7nan, that thou art mindful of him ? Or,
what the fon of ?nan, that thou fiouldft be fo kind unto
hi'ni ? And, what am I, that I am brought hitherto P
Is this the manner of 77te?i, 0 Lord Godf And what
can I fay 7nore ? As David. And what more can
be faid ? For praife is filent for thee, O God, in
Zion, A filent admiration of the grace and conde-.
fcenfion of the great Jehovah, is the highefl degree
of praife we can attain in this Life, while our harps
are fo mifluned by lin,

4. It

the peculiar favourite of Heave?!, 5 r

4. It has in it a giving God the glory of all that
we are helped to do in his fervice. When the man
difcharges duty in any meafure comfortably, he
will not facrifice to his own net, nor burn incenfe to
his own dragg ; he will not, like proud 'Jehu^ fay.
Come fee my zeal for the Lord of Hojls. No, that is
not the way of the humble foul ; he knows that he
has all from the Lord, and therefore he will give all
the glory unto him 5 faying, " Not unto us, not
" unto us, but unto thy name be the glory. I la-
" boured (fays Paul) more abundantly than all the
" reft of the apoftles, yet not I, but the grace of
" God which was with me -, by grace I am that
" I am.

5. It has in it a lilent relignation unto the will
of God, and acquiefcence in the difpofals of his
providence, let difpenfations be never fo crofs to
the Inclination of flefh and blood. Here am /,
(will the poor foul fay with David) let him do unto
me as feemeth good unto him. The man fees awful
fovereignty in the difpenfation, which makes him
to fay, Shall the thing formed fay unto him that formed
it J Why hafl thou made me thus? He fees that his
furnace is not by the ten-thoufandth part fo hot as
his fins deferve ; and therefore filences his foul,
with the church, faying, Why fhould a living man

omplain, a man for thepunifhment of his fins'? T^hou
hafi puniffjed us lefs than our iniquities deferve. He
fees that the cup put into his hand, is far from the
bitternefs of that cup that was put into the hand of
Chrift ; and this makes him to fay, If thofe things
ivere done in the green tree^ what fh all be done to fuch
a withered Hick as I am ? And therefore I will even
be dumb withfilence before him, not op€ni7Jg the mouthy
tecaufe it is the Lord that doth it,

6. Al-

62 The Humble Soul

6. Although all thefe things I have named be the
ingredients and concomitants of true humility ; yet
I think the very foul and effence of gofpel-humili-
ation, lies in the foul's renouncing of itfelf, going
out of itfelf, and going into, and accepting of the
Lord Jefus Chrifl as its everlafting all, as the all of
its light, life, ftrength, righteoufnefsand falvation.
And I think, that a man never paffes the verge of
moral humility, till felf-righteoufnefs be dethroned,
till the high and tov^^ering imaginations of the man's
own righteoufnefs by the law be levelled by the
mighty weapons of the gofpel, and he brought to
fubmit unto the righteoufnefs of God for juftifica-
tion, which is revealed in the gofpel from faith to
faith.

In a word, the humble and lowly believer is
content to be nothing, that Chrifl may be all in all
unto him ; content to be a fool, that Chrifb may be
his only wifdom ^ content to be, as he really is in
himfelf, a guilty condemned criminal, that Chrifl
may be his only righteoufnefs j content to be ftripped
of his filthy rags, that he may be clothed with a
borrowed robe. O fays the humble foul. Surely m
the Lord alone have 1 7ighteoiif?ieJs and jlrength ; in
him will I be jiijlijied^ and in him alone will I glory
Ifa. xlv. at the clofe. " Yea, doubtlefs, (fa/s
" humble Paid) I count all things but .lofs j for
" the excellency of Chrift Jefus my Lord ; and
" do count them but dung, that I may win Chrifl,
" and be found in him, not having mine own
" righteoufnefs which is of the law, but that
" which is through the faith of Chrift, the righ-
" teoufnefs which is of God by faith, Phil. iii. 8, >
" , 9. " And fo much for the firft general head,. \
namely, the nature of this lowlinefs.

The

the pectdiar favourite of Heaven. 63

The fecond thing propofed, was, to fhew that
the lowly and humble foul is the peculiar favou-
rite of heaven. This will be abundantly evident,
if we confider,

ly?, That when the Son of God was here in our
nature, he had lliewed a particular regard unto
fuch : ye have a clear inftance of this in the cen-
turion, Matt. viii. 8. the centurion there addrefles
Chriil in behalf of his fervant who was grievoufly
tormented of the palfy ; Chrift, in the 7 th verfe,
promifes to come to his houfe and heal him : well,
fee the lowlinefs of the man's fpirit, verfe 8. Zor//,
fays he, / a7n not ivorthy that thou ftjould coine under
my roof. And what a large commendation Chriil
gives to the man, you fee in verfe 10. / ha'ue not
found fo great faiths no ftot in Ifrael. And verfe 13.
He grants him all that he afked. Go thy way ; as
thou haji belie'ved^ fo be it done unto thee. The fame
we fee in the Syrophenician woman. Matt. xv. 27.
the lowlinefs and humility of her fpiiit, made her
to fit with all the repulfes flie met with j when
Chriil calls her a dog, flie takes with it, faying,
T'ruth^ Lord, I am a dog, and iliall be content if I
may but have a crumb, the dog's portion : and what
o^lows on this ? O woman ^ great is thy faith ; be it
unto thee even as thou wilt. Thus, I fay, Chriil, in
he days of his fleili, difcovered the greateil regard
unto the humble ; and he is the fame> now in a
ftate of exaltation, that he was in a ilate of humi-
liation.

2dly, When God gives the grace of humility,
'tis a iign that he intends more grace for that foul,
I Fet. v. 5. He giveth grace unto the humble. Ye
know, men ufe to lay up their richeil wines m
their loweil cellars j fo God he lays up the richeil
treafures of his grace in the heart of the humble

and

64 !7Z(? Humble Soul

and lowly ; and hence it comes that the humble
chriftian is ordinarily the moil thriving and grow-
ing chriftian : the humble valleys laugh with fat-
nefs, when the high mountains are barren ; fo the
humble chriftian is made fat, with the influences
of heaven, when lofty towering profelTors are like
the mountains of Gilboa, withered and dry, be-
caufe the dew and rain of the graces and influences
of the fpirit are fufpended from them.

3^/v, Honour, exaltation, and preferment Is In-
tended for the humble foul. Before honour is humi-
lity y fays Solomon. PJhl. cxiii. J, ^. " He raifeth
" up the poor out of the duft, and lifteth up the
" needy out of the dunghill, that he may fet him
" with princes, even with the princes of his people."
They fhall be as it were his miniflers of flate, that
fhall attend his throne, and have place among them
that fland by.

/i^thly, God's eyes are upon the humble. Indeed,
the eye of his omnifcience beholds all the children
of men, but his countenance beholds the humble
and upright foul, Ija> Ixvi. 1,2. " Thus faith the
" Lord, the heaven is my throne, and the earth is
" my footftool : where is the houfe that ye build
" unto me ? and where is the place of my reft ?
" For all thofe things hath mine hand made, and^
" all thefe things have been, faith the Lord : bdP^
" to this man will I look, even to him that is poor,
" and of a contrite fpirit, and trembleth at my
" word." The humble foul is the objed: of his
peculiar love and care. His eyes run to and fro thrd
the whole earthy tojljtw himfelf ftrcng on their behalfo

^thly^ Not only God's eye, but his ear is toward
the lowly foul, Pjal. x. 17. Lord, thou haft heard
the dcfire of the humble^ thou wilt prepare their hearty
thou wilt caufe thine ear to hear. Would you have

preparation

the peculiar favourite of Heaven, 65

preparation for a communion-table ? Would ye be
brought unto God's feat, and have a hearing there ?
Then come with lowlinefs and humility of Soul.

bthly^ The great Jehovah, the infinite God, he
dwells in and with the humble, IJa, xxxvii. 15.
" Thus faith the high and lofty One, that inhabit-
" eth eternity, whofe name is holy, I dwell in the
" high and holy place j with him alfo that is of a
" contrite and humble fpirit, to revive the fpirit
" of the humble, and to revive the heart of the
" contrite ones." God has a twofold palace, where
he dwells 5 the one is in heaven, the other is in the
heart of the humble chriftian : he fays of the humble
foul, as he faid of Z/o;?, 'This is my rcji, here will I
dwell, for I have defired it. And for what end will
he dwell in the heart of the humble ? 'Tis to re-
vive and comfort them : the new wine of the con-
folations of God, which are not fmall, fhall be
poured into the heart of the lowly foul. He will
comfort them that mourn in Zion, he will give them the
oil of joy for mourning, and the garments of praife for
heavinefs of fpirit.

ythly. As God dwells with the humble, fo the

humble fhall dwell with God in Glory for ever,

^Matt. V. 3. Blejfed are the poor in fpirit (which is the

^feme with the lowly fpirit) for theirs is the kingdom

^r heaven. They /hall fit not only at his by-table

here below, but be admitted to fit down at the high

table of glory, and to eat and drink with Abraham ^

Ifaacy and Jacob ; yea, with the King of Glory him-

felf. 'Tis the humble that furround the throne

above, as you fee. Rev. iv, they take their crowns

off their heads, and cafl them down before the

lamb, faying. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive

glo?y, honour, and power. Thus you fee that the

F humble

66 Tloe Humhk Soul

humble foul is the peculiar favourite of the high
God.

The Third thing in the method was, To enquire.
Why God has fuch a refped: unto the lo^vly ? A?i-
Jwer, Firit, God has fuch a refpe6t unto the lowly,
not as if this frame of foul were meritorious of any
good at his hand, but becaufe this is a difpofition
that beft ferves God's great defign of lifting up and
glorifying his free-grace. What think you, firs,
was God's defign in eledion, in redemption, in the
whole of a gofpel-difpenfation, and in all the ordi-
nances thereof? His grand defign in all was, to
rear up a glorious high throne, from which he
might difplay the riches of his free and fovereign
grace ; this is that which he will have magnified
through eternity above all his other name : Now,
this lowlinefs and humility of fpirit fuits befi; unto
God's defign of exalting of the freedom of his grace.
'Tis not the legalift, or proud pharifee, but the poor
humble publican, who is fmiting on his breafi:, and
crying, God be inerciful to me aji?mer, that fubmits
to the revelation of grace. And, truly, I never
think a man truly humbled, till he be brought fo
far off this law-bottom, on which he ftands by na-«-
ture, as to lie down like a worm at the feet of fo-^
vereign grace, heartily content to be indebted t«p
free-grace, for life, righteoufnefs, pardon, and fal-
vation.

2dl)\ God has fuch refpeift unto the humble foul,
becaufe it is a fruit of his own fpirit inhabiting the
foul, and an evidence of the foul's union with the
Lord Jefus Chrifi:, in whome alone we are accepted.

3^^, This is a difpofition that makes the foul hke
Chrift J and the liker that a perfon be to Chrift,
God loves him the better : We are told that Chrift
was meek and lowly ; he did not cry, nor lift up,

nor

the peculiar favotaite of Heaven. 6f

nor caufe his voice to be heard in the ftreets ; tho*
he was the brightnefs of his Father's Glory, yet he
was content to appear in the fojyn of a fewant ^
tho' he was rich^ yet he was content to become pQ07\
that through his poverty we might be made rich. Now,
the humble foul, being the image of Chrifl, who
is the exprefs image of his Father^ God cannot but
have a regard unto him.

The Fourth thing in the method was, To lay be-
fore you fome marks, by which you might try^
whether ye be among the humble and lowly, to
whom God has fuch a regard. You have efpecially
need to try this now, when you are to make a fo-
lemn approach unto God at his table. Let a man
examine himjelf^ and Jo let him eat. If you want this
lowly frame of fpirit, you cannot be welcome guefls
unto the fupper of the great King.

Now, for your trial, I fhall fuggefl thefe things
following. ly?, The lowly foul is one that is many
times alliamed to look up to heaven, under a fenfe
of his own vilenefs and unWorthinefs j as we fee in
the poor publican J and in D^sw^, Pfal. xL 12* In-^
numerable evils compafs me about ^ mine iniquities have
%iken hold on me^ that I am not able to look up ^ the^
are more than the hairs of my heady therefore my heart
faileth me. Indeed, when by faith he looks to his
furety, and his everlafting righteoufnefs, his medi«
ation and interceffion, he has boldnefs to enter into
the holy of holies, and can come vvrith boldnefs to the
throne of grace ; I fay, when he looks to Chrift, he
is not alhamed, 'Pfal. xxxiv. 5. But w^hen he
looks to himfelf, as he is in himfelf, he is eveil
afliamed and confounded before the Lord, and
ready to cry out with the prophet, Ifai vi. 5»\
Woe IS me for I am imdone^ becaufe I afn a man of
unclean lips ; howjhall Ifpeak unto the king^ the Lord

F a 'f

68 T^he Humble Soul

ofhojls "^ or. How (hall I appear before him ? 2rt7v,
He is one that is many times put to wonder that
God has not deftroyed him : he wonders that God
has kept him out of hell fo long, or that he has not
letloofe his hand, and made an utter end of him ^
and therefore he is much in adoring mercy and
long-fuffering patience, with the church, La7n. iii.
22. 'Tis of the Lord's mercy that we are not conjiimed,
and becauje his compajftons fail not. "^dly^ He is one
that is moft abafed under the receipt of the greatefl
mercies and fweeteil manifeflations : we fee this in
the inftance of David, when God promifed to build
him a fure houfe, and gave him a promife of the
Mefliah to fpring of his loins, the man he is not
lifted up, but on the contrary is filled with wonder,
that God fliould floop fo far toward the like of him,
Wljat am /, fays he, that lam brought hitherto ^ The
nearer that the humble foul is admitted unto God,
the higher that he is lifted up unto the mount of
enjoyments, he falls lower and lower in his own
efteem. Abraham, when admitted to plead with
God on the behalf of »Sc?^(?;;;, Gen. xviii. How does
he fink unto nothing in his own eyes ? Behold, ?jcw
'/, ivho ajn dufl and ajhes, have taken upon me to [peak
unto the Lord, ^thly. He is one that renounces the.
law as a covenant, and difclaims all pretenfions tn
righteoufnefs from that quarter. / through the law
am dead to the law, that I might live unto God, O
fays the man, when he looks upon the law of God
in its fpirituality and extent, What can I expert
from that quarter but wrath and ruin? Yea, I am
condemned already by the law ; and if God mark
iniquity according to the tenor of it, I am undone
forever, Pfal.xxx. 3. If thou. Lord, 7nark iniqui-
ty, O Lord, who Jl:all Jia?id ? So then, try your-
felves by. this. Has a difcovery of the la\y of God,
-^L in

the peculiar favourite of ' Heaven. 69

in its fpiritiiality, made you to own and acknow-
ledge, that all your own righteoufnefs is but as filthy
rags, dung and lofs ? 5/'/'/)', He is one that has high
railed and admiring thoughts of Chrill:, and of his
everlafling righteoufnefs. As for the perfon of
Chrifl, O the humble foul admires that : the lower
that he falls in his own efleem, the higher doth
Chrift rife in his efteem, Ffal. Ixxiii. David there
is laid fo low in his own eyes, that he cries, 'u. 22.
SofGoliJJo njDas I mid ignorant ^ I was as a beaji before
thee : well, while it is thus with him, what are
his thoughts of Chriil ? See it, z\ 25. Whom have
I in heaven but thee ^ And there is none in all the earth
that I defire befide thee. My JieJJj and my heart faileth,
but God is the Jlrength of my hearty and my portion for
ever. And as for the righteoufnefs of Chrift, O how
does his foul admire that, and clafp about it ! O
fays he, I have no works, no righteoufnefs of mine
own, to commend me to God, or wherewith to
ftand before him : But he is the Lord my righte-
oufnefs ; and I will go in his flrength, making
mention of his righteoufnefs, even of his only. I
might give you feveral other marks of this lowlinefs
"of foul. I fhall only name thefe two or three fur-
ther, as, I. He is one that looks on fin as his
^reateft burden, faying, with David, Mi?7e iniqiii^
ties have gene over my bead, as a burden too heavy for
me to bear. And particularly indwelling corruption,
the fountain of fin 5 O how does he mourn and
groan under that, faying, with Faul, Rom. vii.
Wretched man that lam, who will deliver me from the
body of this death'^ 2. He is one that values himfelf
leaft, when others value him moft : Q fays he,
others fee only my outfide 5 but if they faw the
fwarms of abominations, that I fee and feel in my
own heart, I would be a terror unto them. When

F 3 th9

*^0 ^oe Humble Soul

the multitude is crying Hofannah to the fon of T)a^
n)id^ he is riding meek and lowly upon an afs, and
upon a colt the foal of an afs, 3 , He is one that is
not puffed up with the falls of others, like fome,
I Cor. V. 2. but rather the falls of others contribute
to humble and empty him the more of himfelf. He
feeSj from the out-breakings of others, what is in
his own heart, and how much he is obliged unto
God for retraining grace ; for, if the bridle were
but laid on my neck, will the humble foul fay, I
would be foon carried unto the fame excefs of riot
with others, 4, The humble foul is one that is
thankful for little j he will not defpife the day of
fmall things : like the woman of Canaan^ he is con-^
tent with the crum.bs that fall from the childrens
table, The humble foul is content with a bare
word fi'omx the Lord. O fays David ^ God hath/pc-.
fien in his hclijicfs, I 'will rejoice. He thinks much
of a fingle word from the Lord's mouth, and waits;
for it, as the fervants of Benhaddad, that catched at
every word that dropp'd from the mouth of the king
pf IfraeL 5. The humble foul is content and de-
iirous to know what is God's will, that he may do
it : Paul is no fooner humbled, but he cries. Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do ? Give grace to obeyj^
^nd com.mand what thou wilt. *

- The Fifth thing in the method was. To offer
fome motives to prefs and reconirnend this lowlinefg
and humility of fpirit,

My Firji motive fhall be drawn from the excel-?
Jency of the grace of humility ; and its excellency,
pfpecially, appears in two things, i. It affimilates
the foul to Chrift. Men are inclined to imitate the
exarnple of the great ones of the earth ^ but here is
the moft noble pattern that ever was, even an incar-
pate Deity, faying, Learn of me, fpr I am meek and

loivly^

the peculiar favourite of Heaven, 7 1

Icrdoly. 2. 'Tis the diftlngulfliing character of a
chriflian ; the people of God are ordinarily called
the humble and meek of the earth. A proud chrifti-
an is a contradidlion ; for pride is juft antipodes to
true religion. O what a difference did it put be-
tween the pharifee and the publican ! The proud
pharifee he brags God, as it were, with his good
works J God, I thank thee, I am not as other men,
or yet as this publican ; I fail twice a week, I pay
tithes of all that I pofTefs : but the poor publican
ftands afar off, as if the majefty of heaven were about
to ftrike him dead j and yet the publican goes home
to his houfe juffified, while the other is rejed:ed.

^Q)(\N& Second. Confider howreafonable this lowli-
nefs and humility of foul is. Whatever way we view
ourfelves, we fhallfind it highly reafonable. It is high-
ly reafonable, whether we look to ourfelves in particu-
lar, or the evils of the land and day wherein we live.

Firfi^ I fay, take a view of thyfelf, man, woman,
and thou ihalt find ground of humiliation. For,
I . Thou art a creature fprung of earth, whofe foun-
dation is in the duff, and cannot pretend to a higher
extradl than the very earth under thy feet. Hence
is the exhortation of the prophet 'Jeretniah^ O earth,
earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. Earth in
thy original, earth as to the fupports of nature, and
fhall return unto the earth in the end. 2. Thou
art not only a creature, but a frail creature, whofe
breath is in thy noflrils : Thou ftandeft continually
upon the brink of an endlefs eternity ; and as there
have but a few years paffed over our heads lince we
arofe cut of the duff, fo, ere it be long, death will
fweep us off the ffage, and then all our beauty,
itrength, ilature, and other bodily excellencies, will
be covered with rottennefs, Ifa. xl. 6, 7, 8. there
you fee 'tis the cry both of heaven and earth, that all

F 4 fiejl.

>^2 Tloe Humhk Soul

Jicfi is grafs. Solomoji, giving a defcriptlon of the
life of man, he fums it all up in two fliort words,
'There is a tijne to be born, and a time to die. He leaps
over the intermediate diflance between man's birth
and his burial, as a thing that was not worthy of his
notice. He is born, and then he dies. The mo-
ment of time between the womb and the tomb is fo
fhort, might he fay, that it does not deferve to be
named. 3. Thou art not only a frail, but a finful
creature, wholly over-run with that lothfome lepro-
iy from the crown of the head to the fole of the foot.
O firs, what reafon have we to be humble ! who
have defaced the image of God, caft dirt on all the
divine attributes, trampled his law and authority un-
der our feet : the fniner has fwallowed a cup of
deadly poifon, w^hich will infallibly deftroy him, if
infinite mercy and free grace prevent not. What
ground has he then to be proud ? O fays the prodi-
gal, I have finned againft heaven, and therefore am
no more worthy to be called thy fon, or to have
room of a hired fervant in the family. 4. Thou art
not only a finful creature, but an impotent creature,
that can do nothing in order to thy own help and
relief. If God had not laid help upon one that is
mighty, we had been all of us this day finking under
the fiery mountains of eternal vengeance and wrath.
Such an impotent creature is finful i?ian, that as to
natural things, he cannot vcviks. one hair of his head
white or black : or add one cubit to hisjlature. And
fo helplefs is he, as to fpiritual and eternal concerns,
that he can no more change the wicked habits of his
heart, or the wicked ways of his life, than the Ethi^
opian can change his colour, cr the leopard his fpots,
7. Thou art a variable, changeable, and unconflant
creature ; liable to many alterations, both as to thy
outv/ard lot, and thy inward frame. The man that

the peculiar favourite of Heaven, 7 3

is in greateft efteem to day, may have his reputa-
tion ruined by theinvcnomed tongue of calumny to
morrow. In a word, thy health may foon be chan-
ged into iicknefs, thy riches unto poverty, thy
ftrength unto weaknefs, thy beauty unto ugly de-
formity. And as for thee, believer, tho' thy ftate
be iirm like the mountains, yet thy frame is but a
changeable thing. Perhaps, thou may be faying
with David, one day, by thy favour my mountain
ilands ftrong ; and the next day crying out, I am
troubled with the hiding of his countenance : al-
tho' perhaps the candle of the Lord may be fliining
on thy tabernacle, yet in a little time thou may be
going mourning without the fun.

Secondly y This lowly frameof fpiritis highly rea-
fonable, if we look abroad unto the world, and par-
ticularly, tlie^nd wherein we live. O what great
caufe of deep humiliation have we this day before the
Lord ! when we take a view of the abounding pro-
phanity of our day : all ranks have corrupted their
ways 'y a flood of atheilm and w^ickednefs, Jordan
like, has broke down all its banks. Have we not
reafon to be humbled for the univerfal barrennefs
that is to be found amongfl us, under the drop of
the glorious gofpel ? May not the Lord fay to us, as
he faid of his vineyard ? Ifa. v. I planted thee in a
fruitful foil ; I took all imaginable pains upon thee,
by ordinances, by the rod, by mercies and crolTes ;
yet, after all, when I looked that they fhould bring
fortli grapes, behold they brought forth wild grapes.
Again, have we not reafon to be humbled for the la-
mentable divifions that are to be found among us ?
Ephraim againfl Maiiajjehy Mauajjeh againft Ephra-
iniy and both they together againft Ifrael. Becaufe
of the divifions of Reube?!, there are great thoughts
of heart : churgh and ftate are divided. And, a-

mong

74 ^^ Humble Soul

mong other divilions that have been of late, we are
like to have a new divilion in point of doctrine.

There is a handful of minifters, v/ho have lately-
put in a petition to our national alTemblyj in favours
of fome of the pure and precious truths of the gof-
pel, which they conceive to be injured by an a<5 of
afTembly. There is a mighty cry raifed againft
them, both in pulpits and in common converfation,
as if they were the T'f'oubkrs of Ifrad^ New-Schemej'Sy
Antiminians, and what not ? Many ftrange errors
are fathered upon them, which they never once
thought of. I fhall be far from bringing a railing
accufation againfl them who ftudy to wound their
reputation, and to mar the fuccefs of their miniftry ;
for I look on many of them as great and good men :
but if they be helped to bear reproach for the name
ofChrift, and for the caufe of his truths, with hu-
mility and lowlinefs of mind, the Lord, in his
own time, will find out a way to bring them forth
to the light, fo as they fliall behold his righteouf-
nefs : and altho' their reputation (liould fink for ever
in the world, under the load of calumny that is caft
upon them 5 I hope they think it but a fmall facri-
fice for the leaft truth of God, which is of more
worth than heaven and earth. However, I fay, this,
among other things, is ground and caufe of humi-
liation in our day, that any of the precious truths of
Chrifl: fliould be under a cloud, and that we lliould
be divided in our fentiments concerning them. Have
we not reafon to be deeply humbled for our woful
defections and backflidings, which are the ground
of our divifions ? We are departed from the Lord,
and the Lord is in a great meafure departed from
us. What a woful withering wind has blown up-
on God's vineyard in this land ! We are fallen from
Qur firfi; love, our former zeal for God and his pre-
cious

the peculiar favourite of Heaven, 7 5

clous truths, and the royalties of our Redeemer's
crown. And is there not a lamentable decay as to
the power and life of godlinefs, which has dwindled
away unto an empty form with the moft. To con-
clude, it is not with the nobles, gentry, minifters,
or people in ^cotland^ as once in a day it has been ;
and the worft of it is, that tho' it be fo, tho' grey
hairs are here and there upon us, yet do we not
perceive it : we make our faces harder than a rock,
and refufe to return to the Lord. But I haflen to
a clofe.

Motive T^hkd, Take a view of the noble patterns
of humility that are fet before us for our imitation.
The faints militant are patterns of it j Abraham^
the father of the faithful, in the forecited xviii. of
Gen. with what humility does he addrefs himfelf
unto God ? Behold, / i^ho am diijl and afles have
taken upon me tofpeak unto the Lord. And his grand-
fon "Jacob follows his footfleps lierein, I am lefs, fays
he, than the leafi of thy mercies. In a word, Job^
David^ Ifaiah, Paid^ and all the cloud of witnefTes,
have caft us a copy of humility. Again, the faints
triumphant caft us a copy of this grace ; they take
their prowns off their heads, and caft them down
at the mediator's feet j afcribing the glory of all un-
to him, faying, Thou haji loved us^ and ivaJJjed us
with thy bloody and thou hafi made us kings andpi'iejls
unto God. Again, angels are patterns of it ; they
do not look on it as a difparagement to be miniftring
fpirits unto the heirs of glory : with what humility
do they cover their faces widi their wings in the
prefence of God, Ifa. vi. Again, Chrift is a blefs'd
pattern of this grace ; Learn of ine^ for I am meek
find lowly : he has left us an example, that we
fhonld follow his fteps therein, He humbled himfelf
■fnd became obedient unto death ^^ even the death of the

crofst

76 7^6' Humble Soul

crofs. Tho' he was the high God, yet he took upon
himfdf the form of afervant : and therefore, let the
fame mind be in us, that was alfo in Jefus Chrift,
Phil. ii. In a word, the infinite Jehovah, the eter-
nal God, calls us a copy of humility : for he humbles
himfelf to behold things that are in heaven and that
are in earth j and, as you fee in my text, tho' he
be high, yet he has refpe(ft unto the lowly. And
are not all thofe patterns worthy of our highefl imi-
tation ? And if all this will not prevail, I offer

A Fourth motive. Confider the evil and danger
of the fin of pride, that lies direftly oppofite unto
it. I . 'Tis lothfome in the fight of God, he cannot
endure to look on it : He beholds it afar off. Prov.
vi. 16. It is fet in the very front of thofe things
that the Lord hates : Thefe fix things doth the Lord
hate, yea, fcven are an abomination unto him : and
the firft of them is a proud look. God hates every
iin, but he proclaims open war and hoflility againfl
the proud. 2dfy, The evil of it appears, in that it
is a fign of a rotten heart within, Heb. ii. 4. Behold,
his foul which is lifted up, is not upright iinthin him :
as humility and fincerity, fo pride and hypocrify
go hand in hand, 'i^dly. It is the fertile womb of
many other evils. 'Tis the fpring of divilion, Prov.
xiii. 10. O/ily by pride cometh contention. As I was
faying juft now, there are a great many divifions
amongft us at this day : church and ftate is divided,
congregations and families are divided, minifl:ers
and people are divided ; What is the matter ? Pride
Hes at the bottom : if our proud hearts were but fo
far humbled, as to confefs our faults one to another,
our divifions would foon come to an end. Again,
pride is the mother of error and herefy, a root of
bitternefs that is troubling our Ifrael at this day :
when men, efpecially clergymen, who have all a

tang

the peculiar favourite of Heaven. 7 j

tang of infallibility with them, have afferted any-
thing that is amifs in point of dod:rine, their pride
will not allow them to retrad:. Truth itfelf muft
rather fall a facrifice than their reputation fink.
Pride of reafon is the very foul of the SocmiajZy and
p}'ide of will tht foul of ^rminian errovs, 2.nd pride
of felf-7'ighteouffiefs is the fource of that legal Jpirit
that fo much prevails in our day. Again, pride is
the fpring and root of apoftacy ; for, fays Solomon,
Pride goeth before deJlruStion^ and a haughty counter
nance before a fall. Peters, pride was the immediate
fore-runner of his denying his Lord and mailer.
But again, coniider, that God has a particular quar-
rel with the Hn of pride : he has threatened to
" fcatterthe proud in the imagination of their own
" heart." You may read a ledture of God's contro-
verfy with the proud, Ifa. ii. 11, 12, 13, &c.
" The lofty looks of man fliall be humbled, and
" the haughtinefs of men lliall be bowed down :
" the day of the Lord of hofts fliall be upon every
" one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one
*' that is lifted up, and he fliall be brought low."
And verfe 17. " The loftinefs of man fhall be bow-
" ed down, the haughtinefs of men fhall be made
" low, and the Lord alone fliall be exalted in that
" day." O what ruin has the fin of pride brought
along with it !

i//, It turned angels unto devils, and threw
them from heaven into hell ; being lifted up with
pride, they fell into condemnation, as the apoftle
inlinuates. God could not endure pride to dwell
fo near him -, and therefore he tumbled them down
from heaven, and laid them under chains of eter-
nal darknefs. 2dl)\ It was pride that has wrecked
all mankind, when it creeped out of the higher into
the lower paradife. Te jhall be as Gods, faid the

ferpent -,

y8 The Htanhle Soul

ferpent ; and immediately the bait -w^as catched at,
tho', in the event, it made them Hker the devil
than God. 3^/v, We might trace the ftory of what
ruins it hath brought v^^ith it upon the ungodly
world. Pharoah refufes to bow fo far to the com-
mand of God, as to let Ifrael go ; faying, Who is the
Lord that IJhoidd obey him ? And therefore he and
his hofl {hdXXJink like lead in the mighty waters. Ha-
mans pride brought him to an ignominious end :
tho' he was his prince's greateft favourite to day,
yet he was hanged to morrow on the gallows which
he had fet up for poor Mordecai. Nebuchadnezzar ^
who proudly vaunts himfelf of his royal palace, Is
not this great Babel which I have bid It ^ for the houfe
rf my kingdom, ajid for the honour of 7ny majejly?
And immediately he is turned out from the fociety
of men., and made-io eat grafs with the oxen. He^
rod, after his fine oration, he receives that applaufe
from the people without any check, It is the voice
cf God, and not of fnan-, and immediately the angel
of the Lord fmites him, a?id he is eaten up of worms*
/{.thfyj As God has punifhed it in the wicked, fo he
has fliewed his refentment againil it to his own chil-
dren. And, pafs who will, they Hiall not mifs a
ilroke, if their hearts be lifted up within them :
Tou only have Ikiiown of all the families of the earthy
therefore will I punijh you for your iniquities^ Da-^
vid's pride prompted him to number Ifraeli that he
might make his brag that he was king over fo ma-
ny thoufands 5 and thereupon a raging peflilence,
in three days time, fweeps away feventy thoufand
of Ifrael. Hezekiah's, pride made him to fliew his
treafure of precious things to the king of Babylon^
ambaffadors ; and therefore his poflerity and his
treafures muft be ciirried away to Babylon out of
their native land, In a word, tho' you were as the

fignet

the peculiar favourite of Heaven. 79

fignct on God's right-hand, ye fhall not efcape a
ftroke of fatherly wrath and anger, if you allow
pride to lodge in your hearts. That threatening
Ihall furely take place both among friends and ene-
mies, Frov, xxix. 3. A mari s pride fhall furely briJig
him low : and if it mifs his perfon, it fhall fall heavy
on his family, Prov.xv. 25. Thehoufe of the proud
fhall be defiroyed.

The Sixth and laft thing I propofed was, To of-
fer a few advices, in order to your attaining this
lowly frame and temper of foul, which the high
God doth fo much regard. Firfl^ Go to the law
as a fchoolmafter j read the ten commandments,
and Chriil's fpiritual commentary upon them, Matt,
V. View the law of God in its utmofl extent and
fpirituality ; for it is exceeding broad. This would
make the proudeft heart to lie in the duft, Rom. vii,
9. / was alive without the law ; but when the com--
mandment came^ fin revived^ and I died. The fea-
thers of his pride and legal righteoufnefs foon fell,
when the law in its fpirituality was fet before his
eyes. 2///)', Get Chrift to dwell in your hearty by
faith ; for the reigning power of this evil is never
broken, till Chrifl come by the power of his fpirit,
bringing down the towering imaginations of the
heart, and ere(St his throne there : the more of
Chrift, the more humility ; and the lefs of Chrift,
the more pride. When the fpirit of Chrift enters
into the heart, he ftamps the likenefs and image of
Chrift there. O then, if ye would have this hu-
mility and lowlinefs of fpirit, lift up the everlaft-
ing doors, that the King of Glory may come in :
He brings a glorious retinue of grace with him,
whereof this is one of the fir ft. n^dly. Be much
in viewing the glorious perfecflions of the majefty
of heaven, as they are difplayed in the works of

creation

8o T%e Humble Soul

creation and providence ; but efpecially, as they
fliine in the face of Jefiis Chrift, and the glorious
work of redemption through him. When the pro-
phet Ifaiah faw the Lord high and hfted up, and
his train fiUing the temple, he cries out, Woe is me,
I am undone, I am a man of polluted lips. See 'Job,
xlii. 5, 6. I have heaj'd ofthee, fays he, hy the hear-
ing of the ear : but now mine eyes fee thee : wherefore
J abhor my f elf, and repent in dufi and apes. i\.thly.
Be much in viewing the rock whence ye were
hewen, and the hole of the pit whence ye were dig-
ged ', I mean, your original corruption, and depra-
vation ; how you are conceived in fin, and brought
forth in iniquity. And O how much of this cleaves,
even to believers themfelves, while they are on this
lide of eternity I There is a law in the members
continually warring with the law in the mind. This
laid the great apoflle Paul in the dufl, notwith-
flanding of his high attainments. S^^b-> ^^ rnuch
in viewing the vanity of the creature, and all things
below : vanity and vexation of fpirit is wa"itten in
legible charaders upon all things under the fun.
*T\it fafnon of this world is paffing away. Be much
in viewing the bed of the grave, where you muft
lie down iliortly, and where rottennefs and corrup-
tion fhall cover you 5 let this make you fay, with
Job, Unto corruption, Thou art 7ny father ; a?id to
the worfns, l^hou art 7ny b?'other and 7ny fifler. View
an awful tribunal, and an endlefs eternity, that is
to follow on the back of death, where you and I
fliortly fhall ftandto be judged, and receive a fen-
tence from the righteous judge, which fliall deter-
mine our ftate for ever, bthly. Be much in eying
thefe patterns of lowlinefs and humility, which I
have already mentioned j God, angels, and faints,

have

the peculiar favourite of Heave7i» 8 1*

have cafl you a copy of it. But efpecially, be much
in viewing the humility and humiliation of the Son
of God, which is propofed as the great pattern,
Phil. ii. 6, 7, 8. Let the fame mind be in you ^ which
was alfo in Chrift "Jefiis : Who being in the form of
God J thought it not robbery to be equal with God ; but
made himfelf of no reputation^ and took upon him the
form of afervant, and was made in the likenefs of
men. And being foimd infajhion as a man^ he hiim^
bled himfelf and became obedient unto deaths even thi
death of the crofs.

iP Militant's

Militant's Song : or^ the Believer^ s
Exercifey while here below.

A SERMON preached at Carnock, Monday
July-, I J 21^ being a Thankfgiving-Day imme-
diately after the Celebration of the Lord's
Supper.

By Mr. Ralph Erskine.

P S A L. ci. I.

/ will Jtng of Mercy and ytidgment : Un-
to thee^ 0 Lord^ will I Jtng,

I Hope, the fubjedt I am here in providence di-
redied to, will natively lead us, if the Lord blefs
it, to a fuitable exercife upon a thankfgiving-day
after a communion, even with gratitude of foul to
ling the praifes of a God in Chrift, and that whe-
ther we have met with a fmile or a frown from hea-
ven, or both at this occaiion. If any here have got
a fmile, or found him to be a fmiling and a pre-
fent God, they may ling of mercy. If any here have
got a frown, or found him to be a hiding God, they
may ling o^ judgment ; or, if any here have got both
a fmile and a frown, they may fmg of both, and
fay, Iwilljing of mercy and judgment^ &c.
, The words contain the.])ialmifl:'s holy refolution
to praile and glorify God for all his difpenfations to-
wards him, now that he was advanced to the king-
dom of Ifrael-j and in them Ihortly you may no-
tice, I. The fweet work that is refolved upon,
namely, X.ofing, 2, The fv/eet linger that thus re-

folves^

Miliianis Songy ^C, 'Sj

folves, namely, David, I ivill f?ig. 3. The fweet
fubjedt of the fong, namely, mercy and judgjiwit , 4*
The fweet objed: of this praife, and the manner in
which he would ling it, JJiito thee, Ohord, will Ifingi

Firji, The fweet work that is refolved upon, name-^
ly, tofing : it is the work of heaven, and a very fit
work after a communion, to fing a fong of praife
to God, in the manner which we may afterwards
explain, zdly. The fweet finger, I will fmg i the
title of the pfalm fliews it was David's, the man
after God's own heart, the man anointed by the
God of Jacob, and the fweet pfalmifl: of IJrael, for
fo he is called, 2 Satn. xxiii. i. 3^/y, The fweet
JuhjeB of the fong, or the matter of it, namely, ?ner-^
cy and jiidgme7it . God's work towards his people is
chequered work, a mixture of mercy and judgment;
and when he exercifes us with both, it is our duty
to fing of both, and to be fuitably affeded w;ith both^
whether our circumftances be joyful or forrowful,
ftill we muft give glory to God, and in every thing
give thanks 5 neither the laughter of a profperous
condition, nor the tears of an afflid:ed condition
muft put us out of tune for the facred fongs of
praife. /^thly. The fweet objeSi of this praife, and
the manner in which 'he refolves to fing it, Unto
thee, O Lord, will I fing. It is in the moft folemn
manner that he addrefles the Lord Jehovah, Father,
Son and Holy Ghoft, and dedicates his fong to the
praife of a God in Chrift, Unto thee, O Lord will I
fing : but I refer the further explication to the pro-
fecution of a doctrine from the words,

Obf That as the people of God have both mercy and

judgment in their lot in this world, fofrom both they

may have matter of a fong of praife unto God, They

have occafion in this world to fing both of mercy

and judgment. We find the pfalmift frequently

G 2, finging

84 Militant's Song:

iinging both of mercy and judgment, as Pfal. xxx".
6, 7, 8, 9. Pfal.xin. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. You have an
elegant defcription of the lot of God's people while
here, as conlifl:ing both of mercy and judgement,
and fo affording occaiion to fing of both, 2 Cor. vi.
8, 9, 10. where you will fee the blink and the
fliower, the mercies and judgments that are in their
lot, how God hath fet the one over againft the o-
ther, l>y konoiir and diJl:onow\ by evil report and good
report^ &c. Thus they have occafion to fing both
of mercies and crolfes, while they find the Lord
fupporting them under trials, and remembring mer-
cy in the midft of wrath, and making all things
work together for good to them. / ivilljing of mer-
cy and judgme7it ; unto thee, O Lord, will I fing. The
Chaldee paraphrafe of the text is remarkable, and
fuitable to the doctrine I have raifed from it, name-
ly, it is as if the pfalmifl: had faid, if thou beflow-
efi: mercies upon me, or if thou bringeft any judg-
ment upon me, before thee, O Lord, will I ling
my hymn for all.

The method I propofe is, i . I would fpeak a lit-
tle of the mercies that the people of God meet with,
and what it is in thefe that affords them matter for a
fong of praife. 2. I would fpeak a little of \}[\.^jiidg-
7nents with which they are viiited, and what it is in
judgment that may be matter of a fong of praife* to
God. 3. What this Iinging imports, and how we
are to fing of mercy and judgment ; where we may
notice what is imported' in the pfalmifl's refolution,
and the manner of expreffing it, I will fing of jnercy
and judgment ; unto thee, O Lord, will If Jig. 4.
Why it is fo ordered of the Lord, that his people
are made to fing, both of mercy and of judgment*
5. Draw fome inferences for the application.

or^ the Believer s Exerclfe, 85

Tirft Head, i. I am to fpeak a little of mercy, of
wliich they ought to ling ; and here I would fhew.
I. What this mercy is, and, 2. What it is in mercy
that may be matter of a fong, or afford ground of
linging. I/?, What this mercy is ? Mercy in God
figniiics a propenlity or readinefs of mind to help
and fuccour fuch as are in mifery ; and it carries in
it an inward commotion and yearning of bowels,
as God fays of Ephraim, My bowels are troubled for
him^ I ivillfurcly ha"ce mercy upon hhriy Jer. xxxi.
20. God, to accomm.odate himfelf to our capacity,
fpeaks after the manner of man, afcribing human
aife6i:ions to himfelf. I might here fpeak of the
general mercy of God towards all both juft and un-
jujft ; for he is good to all^ and his tender 7nercies are
o^oer all his works, Pfal. cxlix. 5. he makes his fun
to fliine, and his rain to fall upon good and bad,
and all fliould fing of his mercy, if it were no
more but for life, and health, and ftrength from
him. There are fome common gifts that all men
have from him, and fome common graces that
fome have more than others ; but I fpeak efpecially
of fpecial mercies ; and indeed there are of thefe,
that the vilible church hath, befides the reft of the
world, even the wicked among them j and if they
could, they fliould find of thefe mercies, fuch as
their hearing the gofpel, and the joyful found, their
getting the offer of Chrift and falvation thro' him ;
but I fpeak mainly of the fpecial mercies, that bear
the flamp of his everlafling love towards his chofen
and hidden ones ; mercy bred in God's breafl from
all eternity, whereby he made choice of fome of
the fallen race of mankind in Chrift, who is the
channel wherein this mercy does flow in various
ftreamsj and I fhall mention a few of thefe, for
there would be no end of fpeaking, to mention all
G 3 that

86 Militant's Song:

that might be faid, or yet to enlarge upon all that
may be mentioned, i. There is the mercy of God
in fending Chrift to be the faviour j we find the
angels iinging of his mercy, Luke, ii, 1 1 . faying,
T'o you is born, in the city of David, afa-viour ; glory
to God in the highefi, on earth peace and good will to^
wards men -, good will and mercy towards man, be-»
caufe there is peace on earth, and reconciliation
thro' Chrift, who brings in glory to God in the
higheft ; Godfo lo-ved the world, &c. It is indeed a
fo without a fuch, a love without a parallel j here
mercy ihines, 2, There is mercy in the death of
Chrift 5 fee how the four and twenty elders iing
of this mercy, Re'v, v. 9. 'Tho^ wajl jlain, and has
redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred,^
(md tongue, and people, and nation-^ and the angels
join iffue with them, to the number of ten thou-
■fand times ten thoufand, and thoufands of thou-
fands, faying with a loud voice. Worthy is the lamb
that wasflain, to receive power, and riches, and wij-.
dom, and firength, and honour, (ind glory, and blef
Jing. 3. There is mercy that he fliows, in raifing
* of Chrift from death, and in railing and quickning
us together with him. We find the apoftle fing-
ing of this mercy, Eph. ii. 4, 5, But God who is
rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he hath
loved us, even when we were dead infms, hath quick-
ned us together with Chrijl, and hath raifed us up to-
gether, ajid made us fit together in heavenly places in
Qkrifl jefus. If Chrift muft die, he muft conquer
death, that his people may be more than conquer-;
prs in him over death, both fpiritual death, where-
by we were under the power of fin, and legal death,
whereby we are under the guilt of fin, and fen-
tence of the law. In oppofition to both thefe, the
Jife of regeneratipn, and the life of juftification is

connected

cr, the Believe?"'* s Exe7xtfe, 87

conneftcd with this merciful quickning together
with Chrill, as ye fee Col. ii. 13. 7m being dead in
your fiis and the iincirciimcifion of your fejl\ hath he
quickned together with him^ having forgiven you all
trefpafes. O ! how does the pfalmift fing of this
mercy, Ffzl. cni. Bltfs the Lord, O my foul , whofor-
giveth all thy ffis, and healeth all thy difeafes. 4.
There is mercy that he fliews in cleanfing the foul
from the filth of fin, as well as the guilt thereof,
till it be waflien altogether clean at lafi:. See how
the faints do fweetly fing of this mercy. Rev. 1. i.
where I think they fing both of pardoning and pu-
rifying mercy ; To him that loved tis, and wajhd us
from our fins in his own bloody to him be glory attd do^
minion for ever and ever. Amen. 5. There is mercy
that he fliews in adopting fuch heirs of hell by na-
ture, to be the children of God by grace ; and you
may fee how believers fing of this mercy, i John
iii. I. Behold what jvanner of love the father hath be-
fiowedupon us, that we fimdd be called the fens of God!
He makes them his children, and gives them the
fpirit of adoption j Becaufe ye are fons, he hath fent
forth the fpirit of his Son into your hea7^ts crying, Abba,
Father : he gives them the mark and feal of his
children, even the fpirit as a fpirit of prayer, and as
a fpirit of love, working the love of God in our
hearts, who are by nature enemies ; an4 O what
mercy is here ! 6. There is mercy that he fliews,
in conferring the high dignity of prieflihood and
royalty upon them. See how they fing of this mer-
cy, Kev. i. 8. Tb him that loved us, and hath made
us kings and pr lefts imto God and his Father, (or to
God even his Father) to hi?n be glory. Kings unto
God, how ? Even to fight for him againfl; fin, Sa-
tan and the world, and to conquer all our enemies
in his name. Priefts unto God, how ? Even to

G 4 offer

88 Militant's Song:

offer fpiritual Sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jefus
Chrifl: j to offer our prayers and praifes, fouls and
bodies to him on our altar Jefus Chrift. Thus they
are made kings and priefls, and therefore called a
royal prieflhood, a priefthood of kings, or a king-
dom of priefls. 7. There is mercy that he fhews
his people, in abiding and flanding by them in all
difficulties, fo as nothing fhall ever he able to fe-
parate them frorn the favour of their God. See
how fweetly the apoflle Pmd fmgs of this mercy,
Rom. viii. lafl. Who JJ:all feparate us from the love of
God? Shall tribulation^ or dijlrefs, or pejf edition, or
famine, ornakednefs, or peril, orfword? Nay, lam
' perfuaded, that neither death, nor life, 7ior angels^
&c. But tho' neither death, nor life, nor angels do
it, yet may not fin feparate me from the mercy and
love of God ? Indeed it may feparate, fo as to make
a fearful defertion, but never fo as to make a final
feparation ? for his niercy endures for ever ; and he
hath faid, I'll never leave thee nor forfake thee,
^c. He v/ill vifit their iniquity with a rod, but his
loving kindnefs will he not take away ; my rr^ercy
will I keep with him for evermore, and my cove-
nant fliall fland fafl with him, P/^/. Ixxxix. 28, 8,
There is mercy that he fhews, in giving many mer-^
ciful experiences of his goodnefs and mercy follower
ing them all the days of their life, fuch as the
pfalmifi: fings of, Tfal xxiii. It is true, the leading
mercy of all, is God himfelf, Chrift himfelf, the
fpirit himfelf, one God in three perfons is their
God, made qver to them in a word, / iseill be your
God. Here is the fpuntain-mercy of all mercies, of
which they may fing, faying, 'T^his God is our God
for ever and ever, and will be our guide, even unto
death : and indeed to fing of mercy, is to fing of a
merciful God j but as we Know th^ nature of the

fountain

cr, the Believe?' s Exercife, 8g

fountain by the fweetnefs of the flreams, fo we may
take a view of fome more of thcfe flreams under
the notion of merciful experiences ; and I name
thefe following, by which a fong of mercy may
be excited.

1. There are merciful Intimations and commu-
nications, that they fometimes get, to make them
fing of mercy. Sometimes he intimates his love,
iaying, I ha^je h'-ccd thee with an enjcrlafihig love-,
fometimes he intimates a pardon, /, evefi I am he^
&c. Sometimes he intimates acceptances faying, O

i,man grcath belo'ved -^ and the intimation fets them a
wondring and praifing ; fometim.es he comm.uni-
catcs his mind and his fecrets to them. The jccTct of
the hord is ni:ith them that fiar him ^ &c. Sometimes
the fecrets of his providence ; he will tell them
v/hat he hath a mind to do with themfelves, and
what he hath a mind to do with fuch a friend, and
fuch a child, and fuch a land or church. %all I
hide fr 0771 Abraham that which I do? Sometimes he
communicates himfelf to them, faying, I am thy
Gody I am thy f:ield ; fea?' ?2ot, for I am with thee.
Sometimes fuch intimations and communications
are given, as make all their bones to fay, PP^IjO is
like unto thee "^

2. There are merciful vilits after defertion, and
after backiliding, that they fometimes get to make
them fing of mercy, when they have been heaping
up mountains of fin and provocation betwixt him
and them ; yet, after all, he hath come and given
them occafion to fay. The voice of my beloved^ be-
hold he Cometh jkipping upon the mountains^ &c. The
voice of my beloved ! O an exceeding fweet and
powerful voice ! It had a found of heaven j I
thought the mountains would liave kept him away,
l^vft I heard the found of h.is feet upon the moun-
tains.

90 Militant s Song:

tains, that made my heart warm toward him again ?
I had departed from him by an evil heart of unbe-
lief, and I thought he would never return ; but O
he reflored my foul, and helped me anew to wreflle
with him ; We foimd him in Bethel, and there he
Jpake 'with us,

3. There are merciful accomplifliments of pro-
mifes that they fometimes get to make them fing of
mercy » The Lord fometimes lets in a promife
with life and power, and gives them a word on
which he caufes them to hope. It may be he will
give them a promife for themfelves, and it may be
a promife for their children, fuch as that. Til be
thy God, and the God of thy feed-, and fometimes a
promife for the church, fuch as that, Upon all the
glory there fiall be a defence ; and fometimes he gives
a wonderful accomplifhment of promifes, like tliat
of TIezekiah. What Jlmll I fay ? he hath bothfpoken,
and hinf elf hath done it : he hath come to my foul,
and made me fee that he his as good as his word,
and that faithfulnefs is the girdle of his loins.

4. There is a merciful grant of all their defires,
that they fometimes get, to make them ling of mer-
cy. As the defire of their foul is towards him, and
tlie remembrance of his name 5 fo he fatisfies the
longing foul, and fills the hungry with good things,
and gives them fometimes a Chrift in their arms,
who is all their falvation, and all their defire. De-
light thyfelf in the Lord, and he will give thee the
defire of thy heart. Some have got their defires
fatisfied abundantly, now and then -, they have got
all that they could defire with refped: to temporal
mercies, all that they could defire with refped: to
fpiritual mercies, yea, all that they could defire
within time, till they get an armful of him before
the throne.

ij. There

<?r, the Believe7'^s Exercife, 9 1

•5. There is merciful inflrudtion and illumina-
tion, that they fometimes get, to make them fing
of mercy ; The path of the jiiji is as the Jhining light,
j}:ining more and jnore to the perfect day : and there-
fore he gives them to learn fome lellon more and
more j fome gofpel-lellbn and gofpel-myftery, that
they were in the dark about : and one great lefTon
that he teaches them is, even the difference betwixt
the law and the gofpel. He teaches them that the
law is holy, juft and good, and how the gofpel
crowns the law in all thefe refpeds 5 he teaches
them that the law is holy in its commands, com-
manding perfed: holinefs, perfect obedience: and
now the gofpel fliev/s where this perfect obedience
is to be had, even in Chrifl, in whom they have
not only flrength to anfwer it as a rule of duty in
part, but perfed: righteoufnefs to anfwer it as a co-
venant of works compleatly : he teaches them^
that the law is juft in its threatening, the threaten-
ing of eternal death ; and how the gofpel fhews
where this threatening hath vented itfelf, even in
demanding and getting compleat iatisfadion from
Chrifl the furety ; and therefore may the foul fay.
Well is it for me, that the fliower of wrath is over
my head, and hath lighted upon the head of my
furety. fie teaches them that the law is good in
its promifes, namely its promife of eternal life to
perfed: perfonal obedience ; but withal he teaches
them by the gofpel, how they hold their title to
life, only in Chrift, to whofe perfed obedience
now all the promifes are made, and in whom all
the promifes are yea and a??ien. O what a mercy is
it to learn thefe lelTons in a faving way : To you it
is given to k?iow the myjleries of the kingdojn of God :
be hath hid thefe things from the wife and prudent^
and revealed them to babes: even fo Father, &c.

6. There

9 2 Militant's Song :

6. There are merciful fcnfible enjoyments, which
they fometimes get, to make them ling of mercy ;
fometimes they get fenfible fights of his glory, and
that in a way of believing, Said I not unto thee, if
thou ivDuldft: believe, thcuficuld/i fee the glory of God 'i
O, fays the man, I found faith to be the hardeft
thing in the world, and yet he made me find it to
be the ealicfl; thing in the world, when he carried
me on the wings of the fpirit of faith ; and by
faith I faw his glory, and the glory of God in the
face of Jefus. When I fpeak of fenfible fight, do
not miftake me ; for I know that faith and fight, or
faith and fenfe, differ in feveral refpects, which I
am not now to open j and yet faith brings in a kind
of fenfe, it being the evidence of things not feen,
and the fubflance of things hoped for j and there-
fore, by a fenfible light, I mean the fpiritual fenfe
of feeing by faith, and feeing clearly : for fome-
times the man gets a fight of Chrifi, as clearly as
if he faw him wdth his bodily eyes ; O, fays the
man, I have feen his fulnefs and fufiiciency, I fee
his fitnefs and fuitablenefs for me ; I fee his worthi-
nefs and excellency in himfelf. O none butChrifl,
none but Chrift, as once a martyr {landing at a
llake, and having matches kindled upon him, and
the flames about his finger ends, he clapp'd his
hands together, and cried, NoJie but Chriji, none but
Chrift,

Some men get fenfible tafi:es of his goodnefs, /
fat donjDn under hisfadow ivith great delight, and his
fruit was fweet to my tajie. O how fweetly did I
feed upon the apple-tree, and plucked off the apples
that grew upon this tree, the apple of imputed
rightcoufnefs, the apple of imparted grace, the
apple of peace, the apple of pardon, the apple of
afiurance, the apple of joy, the apple of content-

ment^

0?^^ the Beljevet-'s Exercife, 9 3

meat, the apple of love, the apple of liberty. O
the fvvect fruit, the fweet apples that grow upon this
tree of life. I fit down imdtT his jl:adcw^ &c.

Sometimes they get a fenfible hearing of his voice,
like that in the So7ig^ It is the voice of my beloved
that knocked^ Song v. 2. He knocked by his voice,
faying, Open to me, my fifter^ my fpotife. O fweet
was his voice when he faid to me, I'll never leave
thee nor forfake thee 1 How fweet was his voice
when he faid. Be of good cheer, thy fins are forgiven
thee I when he fiid a word like that of the angel.
Fear not, Mary, for thou haft found favour with God!
Did not my heart burn within me, when he talked
with me by the way in fuch a word, and at fuch a
facramental occaiion, and fuch an ordinance, and
fuch a duty ; never man fpake like this man : it was
the voice of a God that I heard ; for it came with
fuch a glance of glory, as fet my heart all in a flame
of fire.

Sometimes they get a fenfible fmell of his oint-
ments. His name had a fmell of heaven j for, be-
caufe of the favour of his good ointment, his narne
was as ointment poured forth. O his garments had
a fmell of heaven; all his garments fmell of aloes,
myrrh, and caflia, out of the ivory palaces. The
garment of his righteoufnefs had a fmell, it is a fa-
crifice of a fweet fmelling favour, and the perfume
thereof puts away the flinking fmell of fin ; the
garment of his graces had a fmell, when the fpirit
breathed upon them, and the north and fouth wind
awakened, the fpices fent forth a pleafant fmell j
when the fpirit warmed my cold heart in duties,
and fire from heaven kindled the facrifice, then it
mounted up to heaven like a pillar of fmoke per-
fumed with myrrh and frankincenfe, and all the
powders of the merchant,

Some«^

94 Militant's Song:

Sometimes they get a fenfible feeliiig of his pow-
er J they have felt a fweet power coming along with
the word, the facrament, the prayer, the duty, that
hath fet the lawful captive at liberty, and loofed
their bands, Pfal. cxvi. i6. Truly I am thyfervanf,
thou haji loofed viy bmids, O, fays the man, atfuch
a time I am quit of the bands of fear, I am quit of
the band of unbelief, I am quit of the bands of
doubts, I am quit of the band of corruption ; a
power hath come and knocked off my fetters : I
felt his hands paffing thro' the hole of the door of
my heart, and my bowels were moved for him ; he
faid to me as it were to unbelieving Thomas^ reach
hitlier thy hand, and put it into the hole of my
iide, and let my wounds filence all your faithlefs
fears, difcouragements and jealoufies ; and I was
obliged to cry out. My Lord and my God. I thought
he took me, as it were, by the hand, as he did
Peter upon the water, ready to fink, faying, O
why didft thou doubt ? He fhed abroad his love
upon my heart fo fweetly, that I could doubt no
more, I could have been content that the valley of
vifion had been my burial-place, and that I had ne-
ver gone back to the world again ? For his love
ravhhed my heart, and flruck the bottom out of
all my doubts and fears : I got all my backilidings
healed ; I got all my prayers anfwered ; I got all
my burdens eafed j I got grace to pour out my
foul into his bofom -, I got grace to bring all my
corruptions to him to be daflied to pieces ; I got
grace to creep into his heart, and hide myfelf in
his wounds j I got grace to caft all my burdens
over upon him, and my heart was lightned, and
my foul was more eafed and pleafed, than if I had
been crowned emperor of all the kingdoms of the
world. Thefe are fome of the merciful experiences '

that

or J the Believer s Exercife. g 5

that fometimes they will get, to make them fing of
mercy.. I might have mentioned many more to this
piirpofe, both of ordinary and extraordinary mer-
cies ; but I go on to

The fecond queftion here propofed. What it is in
vuTcy that affords ground ofjinging ? i . The free-
Tiefs and undefervednefs of the mercy, makes them
fing of mercy ; when the man deferves hell, and
the JLift fentence of the law to be paft againfl him,
mercy comes and takes hold of him : What is the
caufe of mercy ? There is nothing in man to merit
it but mifery, which is indeed the occafion that
God takes, to manifeft his mercy through Chrift :
but yet mifery cannot be the caufe of mercy ; for
neither merit nor mifery can be confidered here to
have any cafual influence, it is juft abfolute fove-
reignty, it is not of hi?n that willethy nor of him that
runiieth^ but of God that JI:e%veth mercy. Sovereign
mercy is a thing that can neither be obtained by
any good, or hindered by any evil about us ; he
gives no Account of his dealings, I will ha^ce mercy
on "Lchom I will have mercy. He loves, and we fliall
be loved ; let all our high imaginations and proud
reafonings flrike fail to the fovereignty of free grace :

0 fhall I not fing of mercy, that when I deferved
a hell, I got a heaven ! I deferved eternal death,
and I got a fweet view of eternal life ! This accents
the praifes, O what am I, that thou hall brought
me hitherto ?

2. The unexpeBednefs of the mercy makes them
fing of mercy : O when I was exped;ing a frown,

1 got a fmile j when I was expecting nothing but
wrath, I got a blink of love -, inftead of a ilroke of
vengeance, I got a difcovery of glory : Hezekiah got
a meffage of death, and was looking for it, when
he got the news of life, and it made him fing of

mercy.

9 6 Militant V So7ig *

mercy, Jja, xxxviii. 15. The mercy of God is fur*
prizing mercy ; fome have gone drooping to an or-
dinance, and ere ever they were aware, their fouls
have got fomething, which hath caufed them to
cry, O, is this the mminer of man^ O Lord^ Some
have gone to a clofet, or a field, or a barn, with
little or no expectation j but behold they have been
furprized v/ith an armful of heaven 5 may be at
fuch a fermon they have been furprized with a
word of love on the back of deep humiliation or
defertion ; a word, like a live-coal, hath been cafl
in, and fet their breaft on fire, and their heart in
a flame.

3. The feajonahlenefs of the mercy makes them
fing of mercy j for he comes with grace to help in
time of need, I was brought low and he helped nie ; I
was brought to the brink of ruin, and the border
of defpair, when mercy ftept in for my relief and
comfort 5 when I was at the lowefl: extremity, he
ilept in and made it the fweeteft time that ever I
faw 5 he brought me out of the horrible pit, and
fet my feet upon a rock, and put a new fong in
my mouth, even praifes unto our God, he pitied
us in our low eftate, for his mercy endureth for
ever.

4. The ^?T^/;7^ and r/V^^i of the mercy, makes
them fing, faying, O how great is thy gGod?iej'sy which
thou haft laid up for them that fear thce^ which thou
haft W7'oiight for them that t7'uft in thee^ before the
fons of men! Pfal. xxxi. 19. We read of the riches

of his mercy, the exceeding riches of his grace j
his people fometlmes meet with exceeding rich
favour, fuch as not only exceeds their worth infi-
nitely, but even exceeds their fenfe, exceeds their
thought, exceeds their words, exceeds their de-
fire s, exceeds their prayers, exceeds their praifes,

exceeds

or, the Believer s Exercife, 97

exceeds all that they can afk or think ; and this
makes them fing. We read of his abundant mer-
cy j it is abundant in refpecSt of its fountain, for
his mercy is his nature, and muft be infinite j it is
abundant in refped: of its ftreams, as it is let out
abundantly toward the obied:s thereof. It is abun-
dantly great in refpecfl of its various kinds, tempo-
ral mercy, fpiritual mercy ; eternal mercy ; tempo-
ral m.ercy makes them fing and fay, / am lefs than
the leaft of all thy mercies ; fpiritual mercy makes
them fing, and fay. He hath blejed tis with all fpiri-
tual bkfings in heavciily places in Chriji Jefiis ; eter-
nal mercy niakes them fing and rejoice in the hope
of the glory of God. O how abundant are they
in their kinds, outward and inward mercies ! Out-
ward mercies are abundant. O the mercy that at-
tended niy birth, my education, the place of my
fituation in the world, fo as to be brought under the
drop of the gofpel ; my prefervation from innume-
rable dangers j my protedion, my provifion, he hath
fed me ail my life long. Inward mercies are abun-
dant, the mercy that appeared in my being awaken-
ed, convinced, humbled, converted, confirmed,
comforted, called, juftified, adopted, fandlifiedo
O what ground of finging of mercy ! It is great and
abundant in refpe6t of the qualities of it ; O what
matter of finging might be gathered out of the views
of mercy, as it is preventing mercy, fparihg mer-
cy, condefcending mercy, covering mercy, tender
mercy, waiting mercy, confiiraining mercy, reftrain-
ing mercy, reftoring mercy, following mercy !
Even when I fled away from Mercy, Mercy and
Goodnefs followed me. But the bare mentioning
. of all would be impracticable ^ O the greatnefs of
the mercy of which they may fing ! O the great-
nefs of xhz author of it, a great God ! If we be

H fdved

98 Militant' s Song :

faved, what does he win ? If we be damned, what
does he lole ? yet he ilicws mercy. O the great-
nefs of the object of it ! It is extended toward the
chief of finners ^ O tlie greatncfs of the effedis of
it ! Hereby great fins are pardoned, great bleffings
are conferred, great wrath is averted, and great fal-
vation is obtained ; O how can they but fing of
mercy ? O the greatnefs of the attendants and com-
panions of it ! It makes them fing not only when
they take notice of the mercy, but the contents and
concomitants of it, and what comes along w^ith it ;
how fweetly will the foul fing, when it can fay, I
not only got fuch a mercy, but I faw God in it,
and Chrill in it, and the Spirit in it, and heaven in
it, and glory in it ! O how fweet when they con-
fider this favour hath a neceffary conne(ftion with
heaven ! It is a fore-tafle of what I fhall enjoy for
ever, it is connedied with God's everlafling love.
And hence,

5. Not only the great?iefsj but the fu:eet72cfs of
the mercy makes them fing : And there are two
things, among many others, that make it fweet to
them, namely, the excellency of the mercy itfelf,
and then their relation to it ; on the one hand the
excellency of the mercy. Hew excellent is thy lo^cmg-'
kindncfsy O Lord. T^by favou?' is better than life ;
his ?nouth is mofi foeet^ fays the church ; 'T^he words
of his month are fweeter than ho?ie\\ or the honey comb ;
on the other liand, their relation to the mercy, con-
tributes to the fweetnefs of it ; the more of faith's
application, the more {wzQt. O, fays faith, there
is a promife, and it is mine ; there is a pardon, and
it is mine j there is a robe of righteoufnefs, and it
is mine -, there is a crown of glory, and it is mine ;
there is a God, and he is mine ; all is mine, becaufe
Chrifl is mine. O then he fings of mercy.

But,

ory the Believer s Exercife. 99

But, 6. to name no more, Th^fure/itfs and^rw-
7i(fs of the mercy makes them ling, Ifa. Iv. 3. they
are called the Jure mercies cf David. The Septua-
giiit render it as the apoftle does, Acls xiii.
34. TO 0' «a ^a/3<J^ *, the holy, juft and Ta Ti^-a
f-iithflil tilings of Dcrcid. The mercies of
God in Chrifl:, our myftical Dai'id^ are his holy,
jufl and faithful tilings j his holinefs, juftice and
taithfulncfs are concerned to make good and fecure
his mercy to them that believe. Hence it is faid of
believing penitents, i Jolm 1. 9. that God is faitliful
and jull to forgive them tlieir fins: faithfulnefs hath
a refpecl to God's promife, and iuftice a refpect to
tlie price and ranfom paid by Ciirill: : And God
hath bound himfelf, he is bound by his own faith-
fulneis on the one hand, he will be faithful to liis
word of promife, and he is bound by his ov/n Juftice
on the other liand, which is fully fatisfied in ChrLft :
he is tlius obliged to 2;ive out mercv, and fecure it
for tlie believer i this makes it indeed the fure mer-
cies of Dai'idy and fo they are eternally fecu-
red, and therefore everlafling mercies. In a word,
the thing that m.akes tliem fing of mercy is, when
they fee the mercy to bear in it the tokens of God's
love } v/hen they find fuch a mercy is not only the
anfwer of prayer, but tlie fruit of God's electing
grace 3 v/hen they fee God's everlailing love to be
the fountain from whence it flows, Chrift's ever-
lafting risfhteoufncfs tlie channel in which it runs,
and the powerful operation of the fpirit making the
effectual conveyance and application of all. Now
thefe are fome of the mercies, and the things in
thefe mercies, both more orGinar\' and extraordina-
ry, that are grounds of linging : Iiaillf.rg cf mercy.
But to the other part of the Song.

H 2 Second

lOO Militaiit $ Son^ :

Second Head. The fecond thing was to fpeak of
the jV/^wf/z/i that the Lord's people are vifited with,
and what it is in judgment that may be matter of a
fong of praife unto God. To fing of mercy is what
I uiiderfland, may you fay ; but how to fnig of judg-
ment, I want to know. Here then I v/ould follow
the fame method as in the former head, namely,
I. To fpeak of fome of thefe judgments they may
be viiited with. ?. What it is in judgment that
may be matter of a fong of praife to God.

Now, as to the fir fl of thefe, ^viz. the judgments
of which they are to fing. In order to clear this,
you would know, that the word judgment hath va-
rious fignifications in fcripture \ I fliall name fome
of thefe. I . judgment fometimes fignifies (when
fpoken with relation to man) underftanding and
equity ; fometimes it lignifies underftanding, and a
faculty of difcerning, in oppoiition to ignorance,
ThiL i. 9. I pray that your Icve 7nay abound yet more
and more^ in knoivledge^ and in all judgnmit ; fome-
times it iignifies equity, in opposition to injuilice,
Gt7/. xviii. 19. I k?iow Abrahajn that he iiill com-
mand his children a'nd houJJjold after hifu, that they
keep the %vays of the Lord, and do juftice and judg-
ment. Now, tho' the doing judgment thus, and
that with an underftanding heart, be one of the
ways by which we are to fmg the praifes of God
and glorify him, of which more afterward ; yet
other things are here intended : Therefore, 2.
yudgmcnt (when fpoken of v/ith relation to God)
fignifies feveral other things, as, (i.) It fometimes
fignifies God's juft and righteous government of the
world, particularly by Chrift Jefus, John v. 22.
TZt Father judgeth no man^ hut hath committed all
judgment to the fon ; righteoufnefs and judgment are
the habitation of his throne, and that both in the

iron

or^ the Believe?^' s Exsrcife, i p i

iron road by whigh he takes vengeance on his ene:r
mies, and in the golden Iceptre by which he rules
his own people : And indeed, whatever be intend-
ed in the text, this government qf Chrift is matter
of a fong of praife ; The Lord reigns, let the earth
rejoice, the Lord reigns, let the earth he glad. But,
(2.) Judgment fometimes iignifies the re(il:itude of
Chrift's adminiftration, in his reforming the world,
and bringing things into order, which fin and ia-
tan had put into confufion ; fo may that word be
underfcood, yohn ix. 34. For judgment am Icoj}ie /;/-
to this^ji'07'ld ; and again, Nowisthejt{dg?ne?itofthis
'world. Now fiall the pri^ice of this ivo?'ld he cajl out.
Of this judgment alfp will the believer fing, when
the fpirit is come to convince, as of fin and righte-
oufnefs, fo alfp of judgment, becaufe the prince of
this world is judged. But, (3.) Judgment fome-
times fignifies the precepts of the law, as ye knov/
they are fi'equently called God's teftimonies and
judgments, efpecially Ffal. cxix. and when a man
learns thefe in a gofpel way, they are matter of a
fong of praife alfo, Pjal. cxix. 7. I "will praife thee
ivith iiprightnefs of heart when I have learned thy
righteous judgme?2ts. Yea, they delight therein, and
fing of his judgments, Pfal. cxix. 54. Thy ftatiites
have been ?tiy Song in the houfe of?ny pilgrimage, (4.)
Judgment fometimes fignifies the dodtriuQ of the
gofpel, Matt.xii. iH. I will put my fpirit upon hi jn,
a?id he Jhall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. It
is cited out oi Jfa.xXn. i. He fiall pew judgment to
the Gentiles, that is. He will publiili the gofpcK the
way and method of fdvation, which he came as a
prophet to teach and proclaim, as a priefl to work
out, and as 2, king to apply : and if we fliould take
judgment in this fenfe, furely all believers fing of
judgment, whenever f lith is in excrcifc ; for the

1 1 3 gi>fpel

102 Militant's Sojtg :

gofpel is the fong of the faints, it is the joyful found,
while with joy they draw water out of this well of
falvation. (5.) It fometimes fignifies the punilh-
ment inflifted upon Chrift, when he fubftituted
himfclf in our room, Ifa.Ym. 8. lie isjas taken from
prifc72 and from judgment 5 or, as it may be render-
ed, and as you will fee in the margin of fome of
your bibles. He was taken aivay by dlftrcfs and judg-
ment^ mobile it f leafed the Lord to briitfe hijn. O but
this infinitely fevere adt of juftice and judgment
againfl: Chrift was an infinite a6t of mercy towards
us ! And, as we had perifhed eternally, if we had
not been thus judged and condemned in a furety;
fo this judgment executed upon him is matter of a
fong. To ling of judgment in this fcnfe, is one of
the fweeteft hymns to the praife of God. Judg-
ment fometimes fignifies the folemnity of the laft
da^^ jiide, ver. 14, 15. Behold the Lord comes with
ten ihcifand cf his faints to execute jud^ ment upon all.
And tho' it will be a day of terrible vengeance to
the wicked Chriftlefs world, yet the laints may
fing of judgment in this fenfe, and lift up their
heads with joy, for the day of their redemption
draws near ^ When Chrift ntjoo is their lif^ f:all ap-
pear^ they Jhall appear fwith him in glory. Awake
and fing J ye that dwell in the duft. (7.) It fometimes
iignifies the punifhment of the wicked in a wraths
ful manner, and the heavy plagues which he pours
out upon any perfon or people, whether it be fword,
famine, pcflilence, or any other ftroke, "Exod, vi.
6. J will redeem you from Egypt (fays the God of
Jfracl) with a Jlr etched cut hand, and with great judg-
ments J that is, with great plagues and punifliments
upon the Egyptians, T^he Lord is known by the judg-
ments which he exccuteth. And fometimes the Lord
gives his church and people occalion to fing of judg-
ment

(?rj the Believer s Rxercife, 103

ment in this fenfe, as Jjrael did at the Red-Sea^ after
God had poured out all his plagues upon 'Pharaoh
and upon his proud hoil: ; on which occafion you
have the fong of Mojes^ Exod. xv. In this fenfe it
is faid, l^he righteous Jhall rejoice when he fees the
'vengea?2ce ; not that he will love to feed his eyes up-
on the blood and ruin of his fellow-creatures, but
rejoice in that God is glorified in the deflrudion of
his enemies, and the falvaticn of his church and
people. (8.) Judgment fometimes fignifies the
chaflifementof the godly : for as there is a wrath-
ful judgment, which God exercifes tov^ards his ene-
mies ; fo there is a fatherly judgment which he ex-
ercifes towards his friends. In this fenfe we may
undcrfland that word in the inflitution of the facra-
ment, even as it concerns the godly thcmfelves,
He that cateth and drinketh unworthily^ eateth and
drinketh jiidginent to hiwfelf^ as the word may be
rendered, i Cor. xi. 29. And, indeed, as a believer
may communicate unworthily, fo his unworthy
communicating may bring on him heavy judgments
or chailifements from the Lord j For this caiife many
are weak- and Jickly among you ^ and many jlecpy ver.
30. Judgment, I fay, fignifies fometimes fatherly
judgments or chaftifements : and thus it is to be
undcrftood, i I*et. iv. i . T^he time is C07ne that iiid^-
ment jniiji begin at the houfe of God -y and in this fenfe,
efpecially, I conceive judgment to be meant in the
text, I will Jing of mercy and judgment -^ fo that by
judgment here we are to underftand all the hard-
fliips and forrows of a believer's lot, whether pu-
nitive or probative, that is, whether for the punifli-
ment of his fins, or the probation of his graces j
all penal difpenfations for his corre6tion, or what-
ever difpenfations make for his trial j all adverfity,
fuiferings and diflrefTes of whatfoever kind,

H 4 NoWj

104 Militajit s Song :

Now, if you afk more particularly what thefe
iudgments are ? I think they may all be reduced to
thefe four ordinary words j i. The judgment of
affliction. 2. The judgment of temptation. 3.
The judgment of defertion. 4. The judgment of
lin itfelf, which may be fo called, Vvhen a man is
left to fall into it for the punifliment of other fins.
I am not yet come to fliev/ liow thefe, or any of
thefe, may afford matter of a fong : I am as yet
telling you what are the judgments they may meet
withal. And,

I/?, The judgment of affliAion. Many are the
affli(5tions of the righteous, even their outward af-
iiidlions ; fometimes they are afHidled in their bo-
dies with ficknefs, fometimes in their eilate with
poverty, fometimes in their name with reproach,
fometimes in their relations, either by the grace-
leiTnefs of their relations, or by their death 5 if they
were gracious, then they are afflidted with grief
that they have loft them ; if they were gracelefs,
then they are afflic^led with fear lefl they be gone to
hell ; if they know not whether they died in Chrifl
cr not, they are afflidied with perplexity, becaufe
they know not w^hat is become of them. Some-
times they are affliifled in their families, v/ith this
and the other crofs, and diforder and confuiion ;
fometimes in their neighbours and 45i'^thren, whe-
ther wicked or godly, from whom thby may have
trials of many forts j fometimes iji their caufe they
maintain, and for confcience fake, they may be
perfecuted and haralTed j I^' any. man will live godly
in thisihorld, he miijl fuffer perfcciition ; through much
tribulation uoe mi'Ji enter into the lungdom of God :
there is a neceffity for it ; for the believer here is
like the tribe of Manajj'ehy half on this fide for dan
in the land of the Amorites, and half on the other

fide

ory the Believer s Exercife, 105

fide in the holy land : I mean, he hath both cor-
ruption and grace, and hence a neceflity of afflidlion
and fuffering ; for, if he hath any good in him, the
devil will furely gnafli at him, and endeavour, if
he can, to devour him ; and if he hath evil in him,
he mull look that God will afflicfl him. .

But, 2^/r, There is the judgment oi tempt atioUy
that the children of God are fometimes tried with,
even the iiery darts of the devil ; for the Lord fees
fit fometimes to let Satan loofe on his people, who
will not be wanting to improve any liberty granted
to him, v/ith his uttermoft power and policy, as
WT fee in the cafe of "Job, It is ftrange to read how
Chrill: was tempted of tlie devil. Matt. iv. and af-
ter that, let none think flrange, that the followers
of Chrift may be tempted to deny their fonfliip,
tempted to doubt of God's care, tempted to deftroy
themfelves ; yea, tempted to worfhip the devil ;
for in all thefe things lie ^vas tempted like as we are,
yet without iln ; and in that he himfelf, tho' he iin-
ned not, yet fuffered, being tempted, he is able to
fuccour them that are tempted. Tlic children of
grace may be tempted to atheifm, and to doubt of
the being of a God, tempted to blafphemy, and
horrible thines that they dare not tell for a world.
It is faid by the fpoufc. Song ii. 4. He brciight me
to the banqiieting-hou[i\ and his be h 'ic?' over me was
lo've. Why ? What is the meaning of a banner in
a banqueting-houfe ? A banner is rather for a battle :
but indeed, firs, here the banquet and the battle go
together, for the battle many times follows the ban-
quet. It may he, futan and corruption are fleep-
ing, as it were now ; but I allure you they are not
dead : fo long as ye liave fin, ye lliall have temp-
tations to fin ; fo long as there is a finger of the be-
liever out of heaven, the de^•il vnll be firiking at it.

io6 Militanfs Song :

If temptations have not aflaulted you already fince
the facrament, as I fear they have, yet be fure the
Pbilijimes will be upon you.

3^^', There is the judgment of defertion^ which
is yet forer than any of the former, 'Thou didjl hide .
thy face and I ivas troubled. Sometimxes the believer
comes under the fadlofsof the light of God's coun-
tenance, and the fenfe of his love, and may lofe his
gracious comfortable prefence very fuddenly, even
when he is juft opening the door of his heart, as it
were, to let him in. Song^ v. 6. I opened to my be-
tved, but ?ny beloved had ^ivithdrawii hmfelf\ and was
gone. Sometimes he lofes that comfortable prefence
very unworthily, even in a fit of drowfinefs and fpi-
ritual fecurit)^, as in that fame ver. of the /i^^^g", v. 3.
Sometimes he lofes it very long. I fought him^ but I
found him not ; I called on him^ but he gave me no an-
fwer. I went from duty to duty, from ordinance
to ordinance, and yet not fo much as a word or a
look from him. In this cafe, it cannot but be a very
melanchoUy time v/ith the believer, when he goes
mourning without the fan, faying, O that I knew
wliere I might find him. O that it were with me
as in months pall j efpecially if he knows that he
hath not loft that prefence by fovercignty on the
Lord's part, but finfuUy on his part, and that he
hath finned him away. How ill went it with
Afaphy when he was forced to fay, I remembred
God and was troubled^ Pfal. Ixxvii. 3. Why he re-
membred his own unkindnefs and ingratitude, that
provoked the Lord to be gone. O ! it is not eafy
to comfort the foul in this cafe. This foul defertion
is ordinarily atter»ied with the want of life and fpi-
ritfor the performance of duty, Ffal. xl. 12. Mine
iniqtnties have taken hold upon me^ fo that I am not
able to look up. His fpiritual flrength was fo worn

awayj.

cr^ the Believer s Exercife. 107

away, that he was neither able to pray nor praife,
or do any duty wdth livelinefs or adlivity. In this
cafe, the foul cannot pray v/ith life or power, it
cannot hear with joy or profit, it cannot meditate
with any delight or fpirituality, it cannot ad: with
any freedom or liberty, it cannot fufFer for God
with any zeal, patience, boldnefs, or refolution ;
O what a judgment is defertion ! In this cafe, the
foul is filled fometimes with fearful apprehenfions
of the wrath of God, and everlafting vengeance;
tho' believers be fecured againft this, by the oath of
God, the blood of Chrifl;, and the feal of the fpi-
rit, yet under unbelief, temptation and defertion,
they may have fearful appreheniions of it, and that
for their corre6lion for their fins 3 for tho' he par-
don their iniquity, he will take vengeance on their
inventions : here tlie believer may be afraid of ter-
rible judgments. My jleftj trcmbkth fcr fear of thee,
and I am afraid of thy jiidgincnts^ Pfil. cxix. 120.
He may fometimes be afraid, leaft God lay open the
filthinefs and wdckednefs of his heart to the world,
and make him a reproach and a fcandal to the god-
ly and the wdcked ; this made the pfalmift pray,
0 make me not the reproach ofthefooUJJ.\ let none that
fear thy name be aJJ:amedfor my fake. Sometimes he
may be afraid leaf!: God ftrike him fuddenly with a
vifible and fignal judgment, and take him off the
flage in a terrible way ; hence, fays David, Take
me not aivay in thy iirath. Sometimes he may be
afraid, lealt he be the fciias that hath raifed or may
raife the florm of God's wrath againft the family,
the congregation, the church, the land where he
lives ; and apprehenfions of this nature may be grie-
vous and perplexing, and create a multitude of
thoughts within him 3 yea, in this deferted cafe, he
may be filled with the terrors of God, and the ar-
rows

I o 8 Militant's Song :

rows of the almighty drinking up his fpirit, 'Joh^
vi. 4. They may be brought to that pals, that the
forrows of hell compafs them about, fo as they
choofe ilrangling and death rather than life ; and
yet all this may be in a way of fatherly judgment
for the punifliment of their iins, as David's bones
were broken for his murder and adultery ; though
fometimes he hath done it in fovereignty, yet the
terrors of the Lord may bring them the length of
diftradion, PJ hi. IxxVm. 15. While I fuffer thy ter^
7'orSj I am difiraSled. O what a ftorm is this 1 De-
fertion may come to a great height, and bring along
with it dreadful ftorms of fear, terror and diftrac-
tion. It may be your mountain is fianding ilrong,
believers ; but look to yourfelf, and beware of God
provoking fins, for he may hide his face, and then
be fure you fliall be troubled. Many, under fenfi-
ble enjoyments, are like a man in a meadow, the
fun fliining upon him, and ere ever he is aware a
mift comes about him, and he knows not where
he is. There may come a mift about your foul,
that you will hardly know v/here you are, or
where you had been, or whether your former ex-
periences have been any thing but a dream ; how^-
ever, this is one of the judgments that the people
of God may meet with.

\thly\ There is the judgment oi fin, v/hich is
worft of all, and hath the nature of a judgment j
when God lets the man fall into one lin for the
punifliment of another, as he may do even with
his own, when his fatherly anger burns hotly a-
gainft them ; this is the faddeft judgment and
chaflifement that I think a child of God can meet
withi and it would fecm that David's adultery
was thus in part chaflifed, by letting him fall into
murder 3 and Peters pride and felf-confidence, by

letting

or, the Believer s Exercife, 109

letting him fall into a threefold denial of his Lord
and mafter ; and thus he may do till the time of
reftoring their fouls ; which he hath determined,
fliall come. O how ill, how dreadfully ill does it
go with the children of God, when they are
brought to that pitiful complaint, Ifa, Ixiii. ly. O
Lordy why hafi thou made us to err from thy ways^
and hardened our heart from thy fear P And when
led captive by fin, &c. Thus I have told you
jfome of thefe judgments that the people of God
may meet with. Now the

Second queftion upon this head was. What it is
in or about judgment, that may afford matter of
finging, or of a fong of praife ? And now, fome
may be thinking, O lir, thefe judgments you have
been fpeaking of, are jull the things that mar all
my linging, and it will be ftrange, if there be any
matter of fniging, notwithflanding of thefe ; for if
thefe be the judgments, what can be the fong or
the ground of linging, when they afford fuch
ground of fighing and lamentation ? I ihall endea-
vour to fliew you, upon what grounds the fove-
reign Lord may even make thefe things matter of
a fong of praife.

And, i//, fay you, what ground to ling of judg-
ment may a child of God have, when affliddon is
the judgment ? Indeed no affliction of itfelf is joy-
ous, but grievous j but the Lord can bring meat
out of the eater, and fweet out of the ilrong, and
a fweet fong out of a fad ftroke and affli<ition ;
hence Da^oid lings of affliction, and fays, It was good
for me that I was afiUied that I might learn thy fta-
tiites^ Pfal. cxix. 71. Now, there is ground to ling
of judgment, when affliction is not in wrath, but
in love ; when it comes not from a wrathful, but
a fatherly judge ; when it is not fatisfaCtory, but

cafli-

no Militant's Sojig:

cafligatory ; when it is not to fatisfy divine juflice,
but to corredt vicious habits ; when it is not expi-
atory, but exprobatory ; when it is not to expiate
fin, but to prove grace, T^hat the trial of faith being
much mere prcciousy 6cc. i Pet. i. 7. That Chrilt
drank out all the wrath out of the cup of afflidion,
and left nothing behind but love for his people to
drink : O what matter of a fong is here ! For, be-^
ing jujlified by his bloody we are fanned from ivrath
thro hm, Rom. v. 9. There is ground to ling of
judgment, when affli6tion is attended with inflruc-
tion, even faving infi:rud:ion : to this purpofe the
pfalmifl lings, Blefcd is the man whom thou chajU
neth^ and tcachcfl out f thy law. When, by afflic-
tion, a man comes to learn the linfulnefs of fin,
and the evil of it -, the emptinefs of the creature,
and the vanity of it, and the fulncfs of Chriii, and
his all-fufficiency. O, when the God of heaven
does familh all cur ffods on earth, and fiiarve us as
to creature-comforts, to make us hunger after the
fulnefs and fv/eetnefs of Chrift, what matter of
finging is this ! There is ground to fing of judg-
ment, when affliction makes us conform to the
Lord Jefus Chrift, v/ho, as he fuffered for us, fo
he left us an example that we Ihould follow his
lleps j furely, to be herein conform to the Son of
God, who endured the contradidlion of finners a-
gainil himfelf, is ground of finging. Again, there
is ground to fing of judgment, when afilidtion
tends to the deflrud:ion of fin. For by this fall the
iniquity of "Jacob be purged^ and this is all the f idt
to take away hisfm : when it tends to win the heart
more to God, and wean the heart from the world,
and all the things of the v/orld, and lulls of the
world, and is a fire to remove the drofs, and a file
to remove the ruft. Again, there is ground to fing

or^ the Believer s Exoxife, 1 1 1

of judgment, when afflidions are badges of honour,
when they are iigns of love, For whom the Lord
loves he chaftcns ; when they are marks of fonfliip,
for he fcourgcs every fo7i ivhom he receives^ and if you
be without chaflijement^ then are ye baftards and not
fons, Heb. xii. 8. Yea, what a badge of honour is
it, when a man is helped to a patience fubmiffion
to his heavenly Father ? What an honour did God
put upon Joby in that lignal fentence, Te have heard
of the patience of Job ? Alexander the conqueror is
not fo renouned as Job the fufFerer. Again, there
is ground to fmg of judgment, in that afflidion
tends to make you happy and holy j JVe are afflic-
ted fr our profit^ that we may be partakers of his ho-
liness -J for tho' the affliction be grievous for the time,
yet afterwards it yields the peaceable fruits of righteoitf-
nefs to them that are exercifed thereby ^ Heb. xii. lo,
1 1 . When the deluge of affli(5tion makes us flee as
a dove to the window of the ark, and when by
faith we make ufe of the water of afflid:ion to make
us fwim the failer to Chrifl . In a word, there is
ground here to ling of judgments, in that they
make preparation for glory ; For our light afii5iio7iy
which is but for a moment^ workethfor us afar mo7-e
exceedi?ig and eternal weight of glory ; and fo the
worft that God does with his children by afflid:ion,
is but to whip them home to heaven. Thus you
fee v4iat ground there is to fing of judgment, when
afflidion is the judgment.

idly^ What ground to ling of judgment may a
child of God have, when temptation is the judg-
ment ? Indeed under temptation he is rer.dy to fay,
all thefe things are againft me, and yet they may
all be working together for his good j and there-
fore, if a child of God be tempted in the manner
that I fpoke of before, there is here ground to fing

112 Militant's So7ig :

of judgment, in that temptation drives him to his
knees -, the more furicufly fatan tempts, the more
ferioufly the beUever cries and prays, 2 Cor. xii. 8.
A mejjenger of fatan la'as fent to buffet ?ne, kit for
this I bcfought the Lord thrice. There is here
ground to ling of judgment, in that temptation a-
bates the man's pride, v. 7. Left Ifkoidd be exalted
above mea jure, this meffenger of fatan was fcnt ; the
temptation that humbles the foul, and makes it
lye low in the duft, is matter of praife : there is
here ground to iing of judgment, in that temptati-
on is fometimies the opportunity of the communi-
cation of grace, v. 9. I befought the Lord, and he
faid unto me, My grace is fufficient for thee^ and my
firength is made peifeB in thy iveahiefs ; hereupon
the man falls a iinging, Mojl gladly therefore will I
glory in my infrjnities^ that the pcuDer of Chrift ma'^
reft upon me ; for rohen I am weak, the?! I am ft rang »
There is ground to ling of judgment here, in that
many times temptation to (in keeps from commit-
ting a fin, the more fatan tempts to blafphemy,
the more the believer trembles at it, and is feared
at himfelf, while he does not fee the tempter :
there is ground to ling of iudgm^ent, in that the
temptation hath mercy in it j mercy to others,
while we are the more fitted to comfort them when
they are under temptation, 2 Cor i. 4. Mercy to
ourfelves, in that we become the objects of the me-
diator's fympatliyj For we have not an high priefl
that can?20t be touched with the feeling of our iifwrni-
ties, but was in all things tempted like as we are, yet
without fn ; therefore will fuccour them that are
tempted : there is here ground to fing of judgment,
in that as it is no fin to be tempted, fo the tempta-
tion can do no harm where there is not yielding :
J faid that it is no fm to be tempted, and I fay it a-

gain i

or, the Believer s Exercife, 1 1 3

gain } tho' to yield to the leaft temptation is a fin,
yet it is no iiii to be tempted to the greateft fin;
for Chrift, who could not fm, was tempted to fin ;
there is no fxn in it, where there is no yielding to
it i in that cafe it is the fin of the tempter, but
not the fui of the tempted. But, fay you, O the
temptation conquers me, and therefore how can I
fing of judgment in this refped ? Why, the pre-
vailing of a temptation is a fad thing indeed j but
yet there may be ground to fing of judgment, if
the prevailing of the temptation tends to the in-
creafe of grace and godly forrow, as Feter^ fall cofh
many a fait tear; and if the prevailing of the
temptation tend to the increafe of watchfulnefs,
and make him more afraid to commit fin, and
more afraid to negledl duty, and more careful to
improve Chrift, in this cafe there is ground to fing
of judgment. Why, fay you, if the prevailing of
a temptation will illue in a fong of praife, may not
that make us carelefs whether we yield or not ?
j4}2jhvcr. The prevailing of a temptation is one
thing, and the yielding to a temptation is another ;
the prevailing of it may ilTue in joy, as I have told
you, but the yielding to it muft illue in forrow^ :
and if that forrow be turned into joy, it will be
a wonder of grace : O iliall we thus fin, that grace
may abound ? God forbid. The v/ind of tempta-
tion is crofs to the v/ind of the fpirit ; and if we
liy before the wind of temptation, we fly away
from God and heaven : and therefore, if we fi.ng
of judgment fweetly and fafely, it will be by rea-
fon of the wifdom of God making ufe of crofs
winds to blow us to heaven, and not of our flying
before thefe. Thus you fee what ground there is
to fing of judgment, when and tho' the tempta-
tion is the judgment.

I 34*3

ti4 Milltajtfs Song :

'^dly, What ground to ling of judgment may a
child of God have, v/hen defertion is the judgment ?
Defertion and divine v/ithdrawing is a very heavy
cafe, whether it be a withdrawing in refpedl of
grace, the witholding the influences of the fpirit,
the quickening grace-exciting influences thereof;
or in refpe6t of comfort, the witholding the light
of his countenance, and leaving the foul in the
dark : when light is away, there is nothing but
darknefs in the air ; when the Lord is away, no-
thing but darknefs, diforder, and confuflon in the
foul. Now, how can I fing one of the fongs of
Zion in fuch a dark land ? Nay, rather mine eye,
mine eye weeps, becaufe the comforter that fliould
relieve my foul is far removed ; inflead of linging,
I muft hang my harp upon the willows : Is there
any ground to fing of judgment, when defertion is
the judgment, unlefs it be a heavy fong, while I
cannot but mourn as a dove, and chatter as a crane ?
Why even in defertion, the child of God (and in-
deed none but a child is capable of defertion) he
may fing of judgment, in regard that, as the feed
of grace may be where there is not the flower of
joy, fo, tho' weeping may endure for a night, yet
joy comes in the morning ; and they that fow in
tears fhall reap in joy, and the reaping time is hail-
ing on, for defertion is but for a fliort time, Jfa.
liv. 8. There the Lord gives this to be the ground
of finging, even in fuch a cafe ; For a f mall moment
have I forfaken tbee^ but ivith everlajiing mercy will
I gather thee ; in a little wrath I hid iny face from
thee for a jnoment, but with everlafling kindnefs will
I have mercy on thee. There is ground to fing of
judgment, when defertion tends to awaken the
foul out of its droufy diflemper : Ifeep^ fays the
fpoufe, Song v. 2 . and prefently Chriil withdraws ;

or^ the Believer s Exercife, 115
My beloved had withdrawn himfelf and was gone*
Why, then flie fell a feeking him whom her foul
loved. 'Tis true, it is one of the fad effects of de-
fertion many times, that the foul grows carelefs,
and cannot feek with any life j but yet if a godly
foul becomes fenfible of the Lord's departing for
fome time, the Lord may be away, and they do
not know or conlider, as it is faid of Sampfon, He
wift not that the Lord was departed from him^
but I fay, when a godly foul becomes fenfible of
it, and fees him going off, or hears him faying
farewell, O then, like friends at parting, he fol-
lows him, and cannot part with him. There is
ground to ling of judgment here, when defertion
tends to alienate the heart from the world, when
the foul refufes to take comfort from any thing in
time, becaufe the abfence of Chrift darkens all, or
makes all things bitter to you, becaufe his fweet
prefence is away, it is matter of praife. There is
ground here to fing of judgment^ if that defertion
makes you prize the light of his countenance the
more, faying, O to fee thy power and glory, as I
have feen it in the fandluary ! When the night of
defertion makes you welcome the riling of the fun
of righteoufnefs, it is a happy parting that contri-
butes to make a joyful meeting. There is here
ground to ling of judgment, if that defertion makes
you hate lin that caufed the fame, as a ftone in the
pipe hinders the current of the water ; that defer-
tion is matter of praife, that makes fm odious to
you, as that which robs you of your bell jewels,
and that makes you lament his abfence, and the
caufe of it. It is indeed matter of fighing, to want
his prefence ; but it is matter of finging to lament
his abfence. It is ground of forrow, to be without
him at any time 5 but it is ground of praife that

I 2 you

1 1 6 Militants So7tg :

you cannot live contentedly without him j I mean
not a linful difcontent, that frets at his abfence ;
but a holy difcontent that longs for his prefence,
and laments his abfence j this I call matter of
praifc. There is ground to fing of judgment, in
that Chrifl drank out all the wrath of God out of
the cup of defertion, when he fuffcred that heavy
defertion himfelf, that made him cry, £//, £//,
&c. My God, my God, why haft thou foi^faJzen mc .^
Further, there is ground to ling of judgment here,
if tl:at his defertion makes the cxped:ation of hea-
ven fwcet here, and tlie poffcllion of it pleafant
liercafter : wlien the believer longs for heaven the
more now, and loves it the better, then is it no
matter of praife ? O there is no hiding, no defer-
tion, no cloud there, but a conlliant vilion of his
glory ; Wt'P^all be like him, for inje fl:all fee him as he
is. In a word, there is ground to fmg of judgment,
if that defertion makes room for faith and hope,
till vifion and fruition come. It is matter offor-
row indeed, when there is occalion to fay. Verily
thou art a God that hideji thy felf, 0 God of Ifrael
the fa'viour : but it is matter of praife when the foul
is brought to f ly, / ivill ivait on the Lord that hideth
his face frora the houfe of jacob, and I will look for
him, Ila. viii. ij. It may be, ye get a breathing
now and then in the air of fenlible manifeflations,
but ye mull look up to faith and hope again, and
through the cloud you muft look for him, and
•blefs him when he helps you to do fo j for though
it were a killing defertion, or a flaying like difpen-
fation, yet there is reafon to fing, when he helps
you to fay, 'Tho' he fay me, yet I will truft in hitn.
Thus ye fee what ground there is to fing of judg-
ment, even when defertion is the judgment.

^thly^i

or, the Believcj-^s Exercife. \\n

^fkh. What ground to ling of judgment may a
child of God have, when/?;? is a part of the judp--
ment when either the fins of others are the afflic-
tion or his own lins are the affliction ? When the
fins of others are the affliftion, can there be any
ground to fing of judgment ? When I fee the ge-
neration loaden with fins and abominations, grie-
voufly departing from the Lord, furely it is ground
of fighing and lamentation, and it is duty to figh
and cry for all the abominations that are done in
the midfl: of yeriifalem, Ezek. ix. 4. It is true.
And yet the fong of praife muft not go down a-
mong the cliildren of God ; for there is ground to
fnig in this cafe, when ye can fay, / beheld tranf-
grefjors^ and was grieved : for as it is child-like to
be grieved for the injuries done to your father j fo
it is Chriil-like, for he was grieved for the hardnels
of their hearts ; yet it is matter of finging, as it is
a mark of love to God ; for one may weep for his
own lins from fear of hell, but he weeps for the
fins of others from love to God. It is matter of
finging, when the more fin you fee in others, it
make vou hate fm the more, and fwim ag-ainft the
flream j when the fafler they run to hell, it makes
you run the fafler to heaven, and lets you a pray-
ing ; that when they are hailning to the prifon,
ye may haften to a palace. It is matter of linging,
when the fins of others are the glafs wherein ye
fee your own hearts, and fee the roots of all that
wickednefs to be within you j and therefore are
made the more thankful, that God reflrains you
by his power from doing the fame, and conllrains
you by his grace to do otherways. When ye are
helped to fay thankfully, what the Pharifee faid
boalliiigly, 'The Lord be thanked that I am not as 0-
ther inenj and that I have not fo learned Chrill:,

1 3 It

Ii8 Militants Song :

It is matter of finging alfo, when their fins make
you more holy ; and when their unfavourinefs
makes your graces to fend forth a fragrant fmell,
and when thereby the Lord gives you an occalion
to convince and convert them, and to be the in-
ftruments of doing good to their fouls. Well, fay
ye, but the great queftion is, When my own iins
are the affliction, can there be any ground to iing
of judgment ? Indeed finning can be no ground of
finging, for lin is in itfelf a damnable thing, worfe
than hell ? and in God's name, I'll fay, whatever
tends to difcourage holinefs, and encourage lin, let
it be Ajtathetna^ and curfed be the preaching that
tends to the encouragement of fin ? yea, curfed be
the thought in the preacher or hearer, that makes
the dodirine of grace an encouragement thereto.
Many fuch thoughts may enter into us all j but
may vengeance from heaven come down upon
them, and deftroy them in us, that we may not
blafpheme a holy finlefs Jefus, to make him a mir-
nifler of fin. However, fin being the worfl of all
afflid:ion and judgpient, it would be an everlaft-
ing damp to the fong of mercy and judgment, if
a fovereign God could not in his infinite wifdom,
bring a fong of praife out of the evil of fin. Why
then, is there not ground to fing, notwithflanding
of fin, when God makes your fin a burden to you,
and you to look upon yourfelves as wretched be-
caufe of it, faying, O wretched man that I am^ &c.
when the burden of lin makes you weary of this
life, faying with Rebecca, I am weary of jfiy life be-^
caufe of the daughters ofHeth, There is ground to
fing, notwithftanding of fin, when God makes the
prevalency of fin the mean of drawing you to a
Saviour, and to the blood of Chrifl that cleanfes
from all fin -, when daily fm makes daily applica-
tion

or, the Believe)' s Exercife. 119

tion to the fountain open^ &c: when the bitternefs
of fin makes Chrift fweet and precious to you,
and the fling of fin draws out your eye to look to
the brazen ferpent, and fo the man fees God get
more glory, and Chrifl more honour, and his righ-
teoufnefs more renown, then he lings and glories
in his infirmities, &c. There is ground to fing
notwithftajidiDg of fin, when the fenfe of fin
makes a man to judge himfelf, and condemn him-
felf that he may not be judged and condemned
of the Lord ; when it makes him examine himfelf
more fi:rid:ly, faying, Search me O God^ Sec. and
obferve himfelf more clofely, fo as to watch over
his heart and way, fo as to find out fin, and drive
it out thro' grace, and live more circumfpedlly for
the future. There is ground to fing, notwith-
flanding of fin, v/hen fin makes a man to abhor
himfelf, and to repent in dufi: and in aflies j when
it makes him, with David, to water his couch
with his tears : and with Peter, to go out and
weep bitterly, and lays him lov/ in the duil before
the Lord : therefore, as one fays, better is the fin
that makes us humble, than the duty that makes
us proud ; the hypocrite's rifing is the mean of his
fall J but the believer's fall, is the mean of his
rifing : while the fenfe of his fin makes him holy,
and fenfe of his pride makes him humble, his hy-
pocrify fincere, his hardnefs makes him foft, his
carnality makes him fpiritual j happy that vidtory
of fin over a man, that ifliies in a bloody war a-
gainft it : yet no thanks to fin, but to a fovereign
wife God, that turns the malady into a medicine. If
any fliould hereupon take encouragement to fin,
let them confider, if they do fo, whether their
fpot can be the fpot of God's children 3 for to fin,
that grace may abound, is a prefumptuous fin of

J 4 the

I 20 Milita7tt s Song :

the higheft degree, and true grace dare rot draw
fuch a bitter conclufion from fuch fwcet premifes ;
or, if a child of God fhould do io^ and make bold
with fin, let him know and confider, if this be all
his kindnefs to his friend ; tho' God do ' not damn
you, he may fend you to a hell in this life, and
fill you with horrors, terrors, and agonies of foul,
fuch as I fpake of before j let this therefore be a
rail to keep you back from the burning mountain.
To fins-of iudo-ment in refosft of fin, is not to fing-
of our folly in committing it, but to fmg of God's
wifdom in deflroying it : you have no caufe to
fing of lin, which of itfelf brings death, ruin and
damnation ; but flill caufe to fing of judgment
concerning fin, or of the Lord's executing judg-
ment upon it. But what if hell be the judgment
at laft, would you have me to fing in that cafe ? I
fear I go to hell when all is done 5 I fear I never
win heaven, and how fliould I fing ? I anfwer\
Have you not caufe to fing, that ye are out of hell,
and that it is not as yet your lot ? But I'll tell you,
if you WTre beginning to fing, it would be the be-
ginning of heaven 5 Bleffed are they that divell in thy
houfe^ they imll be Jlill prat fing thee. Will you fa}",
as an honeil: exercifed chriftian once faid, when
tempted to fear hell, and thereupon to give over the
duties of religion, V/hy^ fays he, if I Jloall never
praife him ifi heaven, Iff^all endeavour to praife him
all that I can on earth. This would be a fweet token
• that you fliall fing in heaven for ever, among the
redeemed. And thus you fee, whether we view
judgment with refpecft to afflidlion, temptation, de-
fertion or fin, in what refpetSt it is that we are to
fing of judgment; it is even to fing of the mercy
that God exercifes in thefe judgments ; and fo Til
fmg of mercy and judgment. It comes all to this,

or, the Believer s Exercife. 121

as if the Pfahniji fliould fay, I'll fing of merciful
iadgmentsj for judgment is mercy, as it is the
matter of the fong^ or, to take them feparately,
I'll fing of mercy in mercies, and I'll fing of mer-
cy in judgm.ent ; and (o I'll fing both of my blinks
and of my fhowers, I'll ling both of my cloudy and
my clear day, both of my iips and my dowiis^ both
of fmiles and frowns, I'll fing both of frowning
and favourable-like difpcnfations, I'll fing of mercy
and judgment j Unto thee 0 Lcrd^ ivilllfmg. So
much for fecond head. ;

The Wird general Head propofed was, What
this finging imports, and how we are to fing of
mercy and judgment, to the praife of God. I iliall
fpeak a little to the quality and import of this fong.

Firjl^ The import of this finging : I'lmll fing to
the Lord^ that is, I will praife the Lord ; and it does
not lie in th^ fimple found of a voice, but imports
the glorifying of God with our hearts and lips, in
our lives, and in our death or fuffering.

I. To fing to the Lord, is to glorify him with
our hearts and lips, to give him the love and ado-
ration of our hearts. In this finging there is the in-
ward a(^l of the Soul, Pfal. ciii. Blcfs the Lord, O
my fold, &CC. It imports a deep impreflion of God
upon the foul, and a lively fenfe of his mercy in
Chrifi:, and of our own unworthinefs of it : and
here the foul, and all that is within it, is acting and
moving, the judgment moves with admiration and
wonder at God for his glorious grace ; the memo-
ry moves with a thankful recording of his favours,
Forget not all his benefits ; the aftedlions move with
joy and delight in God, and love to him for the
riches of his grace in Chrifl ; O fhall I not love
the greatefl and befl of Beings, for the greatefl and

befl

122 Militant's Song:

befl: of benefits ! The heart is here employed ; nei-
ther prayer nor praifes without the heart are of any
worth i many fing with their voice, when their
hearts are a hundred miles off, gadding here and
there > but a fixed heart is a finging heart, My heart
isjixedy O Lord, my heart is fixed, I mill fing and
give praife. We are called to fing with grace in
our hearts, Col. iii. i6. we are to fing with faith in
our hearts. He that isfirong in the faith glorifies God;
we are to fing with love in our hearts, with feai* in
our hearts, and with joy in our hearts.

2. To fing to the Lord, is with our lips to glori-
fy him ; we are to give him the calves of our lips.
When the heart is full of love, the tongue will be
full of praife. Our tongues fnould be as well-tuned
organs, to found forth the high praifes of God,
pleading his caufe, defending his truths, avouching
his name, and confeflting him before the world :
*Thy loving kindnefs is better than life, therefore my
lips Jhall praife thee, Pfal. Ixiii. 3. When our hearts
are inditing a good matter, our tongues will be as
the pen of a ready writer, to fpeak of the things
that concern the king ; when our hearts are glad,
then our glory will rejoice, Ffal. xvi. 9. O the
little heavenly difcourfe argues a very fad degene-
racy !

3. To fing to the Lord, is with our life to glo-
rify him \ when the love of our hearts, the calves
of our lips, and the fervice of our lives, are pre-
fented unto God together, they make a harmonious
fong : the praife of the life is the life of praife,
TfaL 1. lafi; verfe, Whofo offereth praife, &c. When
we devote aU the a(5tions of our life to his command-
ing will, and all the enjoyments of life to his dif-
pofing will, then we fing a fong of praife unto
God. When we live by faith on the Son of God 5

for

or, the Believer s Exercife, 123

for no lefs is worth the name of Ufe, but wliat i5
derived from him, and devoted to him. It is a
pradiical way of finging the praife of God, that is
here intended by the pialmift, as appears from the
reft of the pfalm.

4. To fing to the Lord, is with our death and
fufferings to glorify him, as well as with our life
and adlions : thus we are called to glorify the Lord
in the fires, Ifa. xxiv. 15. Does God call you to
fuffer afflidion in perfon, name, flate, family, or
concerns, to fuffer want of huiband, wife, brother,
fifler, children, or other outward comforts ? Why
then, you fing of mercy and judgment, by fuffer-
ing patiently and fubmiiiively ; and God is as much
glorified by your paflive obedience, as by your
adlive. Whenever you are afflidled any way, be-
liever, know then that God hath fome employment
for your graces, and expeds praife thereby ; yea,
if he fhould call you to fuffer death and martyr-
dom for his name, you are to fing his praife, by dy-
ing in and for the faith, as well as living by faith.
O man, woman, could you die for him that died
, for you ? That is a great matter. O 'tis afmall
matter to die once for Chriji^ faid a martyr ; If it
might pofjibly be, I could wijh that I might die a thou-
fand deaths for hi?n. Thus you fee the import of
finging to the Lord.

Secondly, As to the qualities of this fong, or how
we are to fing of mercy and judgment. And, i.
We are to fing of mercy and judgment cheerfully.
Singing is a cheerful work, we are ^ofing isoith me-
lody in our hearts to the Lord, and to 7nake a joyful
noife unto God, It is an antedating of the joy of
heaven, tho' you be in a hell of troubles and trials,
yet you have reafon to praife him, that you are not
in the midft of hell among devils. 2. We are to

fing

124 Militant's Song :

fing of mercy and judgment highly, laying witli
the angelsj Glrry to God in the highejl : we are to
praife him with the higheft eftimation, with the
higheft adoration, with the higheft admiration, with
the higheft dehght, the higheft ravifliment, the
higheft wonder ; for as he is highly exalted above
all things and beings j and above all ble flings and
praifes, fo his mercies are the higheft mercies, and
his judgments the greateft deep ; and therefore, as
we ought to fmg loud and high, fo we ought to
ftng low. Therefore, 3. We are to fing of mercy
and judgment humbly and lowly. Pride and praife
are inconfiftent ; and therefore we ftiould join
trembling with our praife and finging, having aw-
ful impreflions of God upon our fouls, and know-
ing the infinite diftance betwixt him and us. When
the twenty-four elders fmg, they come down from
their thrones, and caftdown their crowns and their
palms, Rev. iv. 10. as if they would fay. We are
not worthy to fit upon a throne, or to wear a crown
in his prefence ; they make their crowns and their
thrones a footftool unto him. When we fing of
mercy and judgment, we are to mind his judg-
ments are a great deep, and we ought to be deeply
humbled before him, faying, O the depth of the
riches^ both of the "wifdom and knowledge of God ^ &c.
Kom, xi. 33. 4. We are to fing of mercy and of
judgment conftantly and unweariedly. Every new
mercy and judgment fiiould be the matter of a new
fong ; and O, his mercies are new every morning,
new every moment 3 and therefore we ftiould ftiil
be finging and faying, I will hlefs the Lord at all
timeSy his praife f: all be continually in my mouthy Pfal.
xxxiv. I . Let fiich as love thv fahation, fay conti?mal-
ly, The Lord be magfiifiedy Pfal. xl. 16. It is true,
the faints will never fing without inter miflion, till

they

or, the Believer s Exercife, 125

they get above thele clouds. It is true alfo, when
they fee mercy, they are ready to fing ; but when
they cannot lee the fun of mercy through the cloud
of judgment, they are ready to figh, and hang their
harps upon the willows : yet neverthelefs, as the
obligation to fing does always take place, fo they
have always matter of praife, and ground to fing of
mercy and judgment. 5. We are to fing of mer-
cy and judgment, both conjunctly and feverally :
when you meet with a mercy, fing of mercy ;
when you meet with a judgment, fing of judgment ;
when you meet with mercy and judgment both,
then fing of mercy and judgment both, and im-
prove both for matter of a fong of praife, fo as God
may be glorified both in his mercy and judgment.
6. We are to fing of mercy and judgment devout-
ly and obedientially, as knowing it to be a com-
manded duty. It would take an hour to tell over
all the fcriptures, whereby we are called to praife
the Lord. It is a comely, good and pleafant duty,
PJhI. cxlvii. I . Praife ye the Lord for it is good, &c.
There you fee three epithets given to this duty, to
move us thereto, i . It is a foul enriching duty, it
is a good way to make a fad cafe grow better. The
fpoufe, under defertion, fell a finging and faying,
My beloved is white and ruddy ^ &c. and never was
file in a better cafe than when in this praifi.ng tune.
It is good to cry down our complaints with praifes ;
it is good, that it is all the tribute that the king of
heaven can have from us j and to deny him this, is
the height of treafon, for it is a rent due to him.
Give unto the Lord the glory due tinto his name. It is
good by way of eminency, for it is a greater mark of
love than other duties j felf-love may drive a man
to prayer, but love to God makes him praife. If
you can draw out a long libel of complaints before

God,

126 Milita?7i s Sonz :

God, and yet have never a word of praife for the
mercies you enjoy, it is to be feared that felf-love
hath got the penning of your prayers : for as it is a
token of enmity with your neighbour, when you
receive many favours from him, and yet never fo
much as give him thanks 5 fo it is a token of enmi-
ty againft God, when, notwithflanding of his mer-
cies, yet you do not fing his praife. It is every
way good. (2.) It is ^ pleajhtt duty : no mufick
does God fo much dehght in, as finging his praifes -,
it is the pleafant work of heaven, where new fcenes
of glory will open, and open to all eternity, and
new fongs of praife will ftill be fung for long ever-
more. It may be you think, when once you come
to heaven, you'll praife your fill 5 but now when fo
many dead weights are upon you, you cannot, and
you fliould not ling and praife : well, no thanks to
you to praife when you are once in heaven ; but if
you glorify him now in the fires, and praife him
now, in fpite of devils and all oppofition in your
way, you do more honour to him than to praife him
in heaven, where there is no trouble, no tempta-
tion, no fin nor forrow to interrupt your fong. To
fing like Paul and Silas in the flocks, is more
than to fing in heaven, tho' not more pleafant, yet,
in fome refpeft, it is more honourable, noble and
glorious. And fo, (3.) Itis a cow^'i^' duty, the gar-
ment of praife is a very graceful ornament. An
ungrateful and unthankful man is an ugly ill favour-
ed man, nothing more uncomely in the eyes of
God and man. We are to praife him then devout-
ly, under a fenfe of duty.

In the laft place, We are to fing reJolutely\ or with
holy purpofe and refolution, faying with the pfal-
mift here, Unto thec^ O Lord, will I fing. And,
becaufe this is a part of the text, I fliall fiiow what

or, the Believer s Exercife, 127

is imported in the pfalmift's refolution, and the
manner of expreffing it ; I willfmg of mercy mid
judgment, unto thee, O Lord, will IJi?2g, And, i.
I think it imports 2. grounded refolution that he had
got a difcovery of the glory of God's mercy and
juftice in the face of Jefus Chrift, and a difcovery
of the glory of God in all his merciful and afflidiive
difpenfations. He had a fenfe and impreffion of
the goodnefs of God, in all the favours that he met
with J and he had a fenfe and impreffion of the
wifdom of God, in ordering all afEidlive providen-
ces to his foul's advantage. Iwilljing of jnercy and
judgment. 2. It imports a grateful refolution, that
the fpirit of gratitude filled his foul : fo much does
his refolution to fing import ; for it fays, that his
fpirit was fweetened with a fenfe he had of the kind-
nefs of God ; his meditation of him was fweet, and
that makes him refolve upon fuch a fweet exercife ;
he faw what ftrong and manifefl obligations he was
under to praife and magnify the name of the Lord.
3. I think the manner of expreffion imports a cor^
dial refolution, heart and will are engaged in it ;
there's twice / will in the text, Iwillfng of mercy and
judgment, unto thee, O Lord, I will : he had a good
will to the work ; where the underflanding is en-
lightned in the knowledge of God, in his mercy
and judgment, there the will is fubdued and made
willing, willing to praife, willing to glorify God by
the obedience of faith and love through grace. 4.
The manner of expreffion imports ^fervent refolu-
tion ; fo much I think lies in that word, O Lord, I
will do it, to thee, 0 Lord, I willfmg. To be fer-
vent in prayer, is a notable exercife, but to be fer-
vent in praife, is yet more notable : fervency in
feeking is good, but fervency in finging is yet bet-
ter, To thee J 0 Lord^ will I fng. Perhaps this O

imports

128 - Militaiii s Song:

imports alio a v/onder ; O I'll fing, for thy mercies
and judgments are fo wonderfully great ? O I'll
fing with wonder and admiration ! 5. The man-
ner of the exprefhon imports a hiunble refolution :
I cannot fing of merit, but I'll ling of mercy, and
through mercy I'll fing of m.ercy. To fnig of mer-
cy muil be a humble fong, for mercy towards a
miferable finner is a meltino; word : and to fms; of
judgment mull be a humble fong, for judgment in
every fenfe is an awful word ; and the pfalmifl
breathes out his refolution in a moft humble man-
ner, 0 Lord J 1 will fmg of mercy and jiidgmejit . 6.
The manner of exprefiion imports a Jclenin refolu-
tion, made in the prefence of the great Jehovah,
To thci\ 0 Lord^ idlllfng. It is not only refolved
in his own mind, tliat he v/ill fing to the Lord, but
by way of a folemn addrefs to the God of heaven,
the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrifl, To
thee^ O Lcrdj iviil IJing : to thee will I give the
glory of thy mercy and judgm.ent ; behold, I re-
folve upon it before thee, O Lord. 7. The man-
ner of the expreffion imports a JIdlful refolution.
Dcivid was a fv/eet and fkilful harper, a dextrous
mufician, even in a fpiritual fenfe j he had learned
the holy art of praife, and how to fmg with wif-
dom and under flan ding : he knew what fliould be
the fubieit of the fon^, and therefore fays, / 'will
fing of mercy and judgment', and he knew what fliould
be the objedt of the fong, or to whom it fhould be
fung, and therefore fays, To thee, O Lord, ivill I
fng J he knew who fliould be the linger, and there-
fore fays, Iioill do it -, he knew what fliould be the
manner, and therefore fays, I will fing oftnercy and
judgment ; to thee, 0 Lord, will I fing j it is before
the Lord he refolves to fing, as he did before the
ark, which was a type of Chrift, and fo it is a fong
to the praife of God in Chrifl/ S. The manner of

the

or^ the Believer s Exercife, 129

the exprefHon imports Tifirm^ fixed and co?2flant re-
folution ; fo the redoubhng of it feems to import,
/ ivillfingj I willfing. He had a mind this exer-
cife of iinging fhould not go down, but be his
continual trade ; I will ling, I will fing, I'll fing on
earth, and I'll fing in heaven 5 I'll fing in time, and
I'll fing through eternity : and indeed, all on whom
the fpirit of praife and gratitude is poured out, they
refolve never to give over finging ; and however
their fong be marr'd and interrupted here, yet when
they are in a finging frame, they would wifh never
to give over finging ; and becaufe they know it will
not lafl always in time, nor their harp be flill in
tune, therefore they refolve, as it were, to make it
their great errand to heaven, to fing praife there for
ever, I will fing, I will fing. Daroid had heard
once, yea twice, that mercy, as well as power, be-
longs to the Lord ; and therefore, not only once,
but twice in a breath, he refolves to fing unto the
Lord. The word hath a great deal of elegancy and
emphafis in it, / will fing of mercy ^ I 'will fing of
judgment^ O I willfiig^ O Lord I willf?2g^ and I
will fing unto thee. In a word, it imports, that a
God in Chrifl was the ALL of the fong, even the
Alpha and Omega of it, the beginning and end of
it J it was of him as the Alpha^ for the difcovery
of the mercy of God in Chrifl brought him to it,
/ will fing of mercy and judgment j and it was to him
as the Omega, for the fong is dedicated to the Lord,
To thee, O Lord, will I fing. Thefe things, I think,
are imported in the manner of the exprcfiion, and
they may help to regulate our refolutions m. finging.

The Fourth Head propofed was, Why is it {o
ordered of the Lord, that his people fhould have
ground to fmg of mercy and judgment both ? Why
is there both mercy and judgment in their lot,

K to

130 Militant's Song :

to be the matter of their fong:, while in this
world ?

Firjl reafon is, to put a difference betwixt hea-
ven and earth -, for in heaven there will be no judg-
ment, no aiBidtion, no defertion, no lin, no fong
of judgment prefent, but of judgment paft : the
fong of heaven will be of mercy prefent, and judg-
ment paft, among the triumphant company j but
the fong of the militant church, is of mercy and
judgment both prefent. Now we fee through a
glafs darkly, and therefore fing confufedly j but
then (liall we fee face to face, and therefore fhall
iing diftinftly : Now we know in part, and ling in
part ; but then the perfed: knowledge will make a
perfed: fong : Now, we are very unlike to Chrift,
becaufe we fee but little of him, and fo the fong is
hut heavy, dull and flat ; but then fliall we be like
him, for we fliall fee him as he is, and fo the fong
will be chearful and raviihing. Now when a mer-
cy raifes the fong, a judgment bears it down, fome
cloud or other interrupts the linging ; but then there
fliall be no prefent judgment, no cloud, no night,
no complaint to mar the fong, for there the mercy
is not mix'd with any judgment, nor the joy mix'd
with any forrow.

Second reafon is. That they may put honour upon
the divine wifdom, that does fo wonderfully recon-
cile thefe oppolites, fuch as mercy and judgment
are. O the infinite wifdom of God, that makes an-
tipodes meet in a fong of praife, and contraries con-
fpire in a hymn of glory to him ! O the wifdom
that makes mercy and judgment meet together,
and kifs one another ! O the wifdom that brings
the greateft good out of the greateft evil, and the
beft of bleffings out of the worft of evils, as out of
the firft Adairh fm and fall, bring-s the fecond

or J the Believer s Exercife, f^t
Adanh glory and honour, and the greater happinefs
of his feed : O the wifdom that brings hfe out of
death, light out of darknefs, liberty out of bon-
dage, love out of enmity, happinefs out of mifery^
holinefs out of fin, joy oiit df fortdw, mercy out of
judgment ! O, cln we look down to tliis great
depth, without crying with the apoftle, Rom. xi.
2,^^. €1 jSaB©- TTAary, O the depth of the riches^ &c.

'Third reafon is. That they may be trained Up
gradually for finging hallelujahs in heaven. They
are not yet fit and qualified for finging of mercy
without judgment ; and tho' judgment is turned in-
to mercy td the people of God, and fo is matter of
a fong ; yet the prefent fenfe and feeling that they
have of judgment, makes the manner of their fing-
ing fuitable to their imperfecfl condition, wherein
they are not capable to fing of mercy without a
mixture of judgment. They are but learning td
fing, and by judgment they dre difciplined to fing
gradually better and better 5 when tnercy ddes not
prevail to make them fing aright, he fends a judg-
ment to make them fing better. They are learning
the language of heaven before they go there j but
at their firft learning they are but fchoiars, aild
need the correction of judgment. If they abiife
mercy, and do not fing aright of it, there comes
a heavy judgment to make them take heed how
they fing, and then they learn to fing the 7 1 iwj^
of the cxix» I*JaL faying,

It hath been very good for me

that I a£ii5led isoas^
'That I ?night well inflrnBed be

and learn thy holy laws,

K 3 And

1^2 Milita?it's So7ig :

And then they learn to fing the j^ verfe.

^hat 'very right thy judgments are^

I know ^ and do confefs^
jdnd that thou haji aJfliBcd me,

in truth and fait Ijfubiefs.

Fourth reafon is. That the burden of the fong
may be proportioned to their back. They cannot
bear to have all mercy and no judgment ; for then
they would fwell in pride, and be exalted above
meafure : they cannot bear to have all judgment and
no mercy j for then would they link into difpair,
and be preiTed above meafure. On the one hand,
to fing of nothing but mercy, would be a burden
too great and heavy ? they find, when their hearts
at fometimes are lifted up to a high note, they can-
not get praifed, they are ready to invite angels,
faints, fun, moon, and flars, to help them to
praife, for it is too great a work for them alone -,
they cannot get their notes raifed high enough :
but when the praifing frame is over, if nothing but
a fenfe of mercy remain, then having a body of
En that abufes all mercies, fome proud thought
and felf exalting imagination, rifes in their breads,
and would rife above meafure, if it were not kept
down with judgment. On the other hand, to Ung
of nothing but judgment, would be a damp inflead
of a fong, a m.elancholy lighing inflead of finging,
and therefore they are well mixt together in infi-
nite wifdom.

Fifth reafon is. That their fong may be the more
melodious. As in natural or artificial mufic there
is no melody where there is but one note ; there
muft be different founds to make the mufic melo-
dious. I think the apoflle fpeaks after this manner,

I Cor.

or^ the Believer s Exercife, 133

I Cor. xlv. 7. Even things ivithout life giving founds
whether pipe or harp^ except they give a diJiindliGn in
the founds how fiall it he known what is piped or
harped? So it is here in the fpiritual mulic, whe-
ther you look to the confummate fong of the re-
deemed above, or the initial fong of the redeemed
below, the fong of mercy prefent and judgment
paft, makes the fweetefl melody in heaven j and
the fong of mercy and judgment both prefent,
makes the fweeteil melody that can be attained on
earth, Mercy and judgment, like bafs and treble,
make holy melody in the fpiritual fong : here are
the different notes of mufic, mercy makes a high
and lofty note, and judgment makes a humble and
low note, and both make the fong melodious.
When a man not only fees mercy, but mercy and
judgment, mercy before judgment, and mercy af-
ter judgment, and mercy in judgment, and mercy
with judgment, and mercy out of judgment, and
mercy backing judgment, and mercy bleffing judg-
ment, and mercy ordering and difpofing judgment,
mercy qualifying judgment, and mercy moderating
judgment, and mercy fweetning judgment, and
mercy rejoicing over judgment, and mercy running"
through judgment, and mercy at the root of judg-
ment, and mercy at the top of judgment, mercy
on this fide of judgment, and mercy on that fide of
judgment, mercy round about judgment, and mer-
cy turning judgment into mercy; O then, how does
he fing with melody in his heart to the Lord. It
is to make the fong melodious.

Sixth reafon is, That they may prize both their
mercies and their judgments, both their crofTes and
their comforts, both their rods and reliefs, as both
affording matter of a fong ; and that they may nei-
ther on the one hand fport at his mercy, nor on the

K 3 other

134 Militant's Eong *

other hand fpurn at his judgments, that they may-
neither abufe enlargements, nor defpife chaftife-
ments : but that they may give both their proper
place and room in their hearts and elleem, that
they may ling of both, and love the Lord their
God in both, and fo may love a frowning as well
as a fmiling God, an abfent as well as a prefent
God, a hiding as well as a fhining God, a correc-.
ting as well as a comforting God j and that both
out of their clear and cloudy days they may pen a
fong to the praife of his name. In a word, the
Lord orders it fo, that their fong fhould be both of
mercy and judgment, and puts both in their lot,
that in the view of mercy they may not defpair \
and in th^ view of judgment they may not pre-
fume^ that they may ling hopefully becaufe of
mercy, and humbly becaufe of judgment ; and
that their fong may be full and take in all his dif-.
penfations, like the fong of Mofes and the La?7ib,
Rev. XV. 3, Great and fiiarvellous are thy ivorks.
Lord God Almighty ; jiiJi and trice are tJoy ways^ then
King of faints. So much for this head.

The fifth head was the application, in the fol-
io vv-ing inferences. Hence fee.

Fir ft ^ That there is an over-ruling and wife pro-
vidence, making all things, whether comforts or
crofles, fweet things or fad things, contribute and
co-operate for the good and advantage of the hid-
den remnant, Kom. viii. 28. We know that all
things work together for good^ &c. Mercy and judg-
nient, and all work together to be the matter of
a fong : farely there is a wheel within a wheel ;
there is a fecret hand that draws up and turns all
the firings of the harp of providence, to make a
fweet fong of praife unto God j there is an infinite-
ly \vife hand, like that of a cunning player upo4a

this

cr, the 'Believer s Exercife. 1 3 5

this harp, that makes all the moft feemingly jar-
ring notes to contribute to the melody, even as he
made the malice of the Jews, the treafon of Judas ^
and the rage of devils, to work for the falvation
of an eled: world.

2. See the fweetnefs of true religion, and that
wifdom's ways are pleafantnefs j a religious life is
a iinging life, whether providence fmile or frown.
If a believer ligh and moan at any time, and be
not finging at the fame time, it is when religion
is at a low ebb with him j you think religion is a
meiancholly life, man, becaufe many are the a-
fflidions of the righteous, and judgment may be-
gin at the houfe of God ; but you do not confider,
that true religion makes a man to fing of judgment,
as well as of mercy. Out of ail the ups and dowm
of the believer's lot, the Lord brings a fong of
praife. Truly God is good to Ifrael, whether
Ifrael think it or not ; for even judgment will be
matter of a fong. It is the language of unbelief,
when they fay of Judgment, as Jacob did of his
afflidions, All theje thhigs are againji me ; for,
when once the gallant grace of faith takes the
field again, it will fay. All thefe tilings are for me,
and I'll fing of all.

3. See hence the difference betwixt carnal and
fpiritual mirth, carnal and fpiritual finging, be-
twixt the joy of the world, and the joy of faints.
The world may rejoice, if they have, and while
they have fome outward mercy j but to fing of
judgment, when thefe mercies are withdrawn, is
what they know nothing of j nay, take away the
world, and then they will fay with Micah, They
baije taken away my God's, ami what hosoe I more ^
But fpiritual joy can fing ia the midft of forrow,
and fay, Thd the Jig-tree JJjould not blojjom, &c. O

K 4 firs,

136 Militatits Song :

firs, down, down, down with all carnal mirth and
worldy joy, in comparifon of this ; down with
iinging, and piping, and dancing j thefe things are
but folly and madnefs.

4. Hence fee, that the godly need not take any
linful fhift to fliun fuffering, or any fmful courfe
to fhun the crofs 3 for come the crofs when it will,
they may even ling with the crofs on their back,
as P^z//and Siu7s in the flocks, ^ils xvi. 24, 25.
Is the godly man tempted to make any linful com-
pliance with the courfes of the time ? What need
he be annoyed, as if his life of outward comforts in
a world would be at an end, and as if bonds and
imprifonments, the lofs of worldly goods and en-
joyments, v/ere abiding him, if he makes not this
and the other compliance ? Why, what need any
annoyment? For his fuffering time may be his
finging time; I ^jvill f72g of mercy and of judgmefit.
BeSdes, all his light afflidtions here for a moment
work for him a far more exceeding and an eternal
weight of glory.

5. Hence fee what a fweet place heaven muft
be, and what finging muft be there. If a fong of
mercy mixt with judgment here is fweet, and
fometimes even ravilhing, O what a fweet fong is
that of the redeemed about the throne, where
there is no more judgment, no more forrow or lin.
And little wonder that the believer longs for hea-
ven, feeing his fweetefl fongs are mixt with fighs,
and his mercies with judgmxent ; his fweeteft fongs
here have flill this heavy figh in them. Ah and
woe is me, that v/herever I go in this world, I am
a drawing a body of death along with me. O
what a happy time is the day of death to a believer,
when he fhall take an everlafling farewell of all
his lulls and idols ! O believer, what would you

think

or, the Believe?^^s Exercife. 137

think to be faying, farewell darknels, and wel-
come everlafting light j farewell enmity, and wel-
come everlafting love ; farewell forrow, and wel-
come everlafting joyj farewell all my fins and
heart-plagues, and ftrong corruptions ! O would
you not fay, farewell, farewell, with a thoufand
good-wills, and glory to God that we fhall never
meet again ? Hence fee then, I fay, what a fweet
place heaven muft be : If even judgments, fuffer-
ings, and temptations to fm here be made matter
of joy and linging fometimes to the believer, what
fhall glory be ? If the worft things on earth may
contribute to a fong, what will the beft things in
heaven do ? If the crofs be fometimes fo fweet,
what will the crown be ? If the waters of Mar ah
be made fo fweet, what will the wine of paradife
be ? If God's rod hath honey at the end of it,
what will his golden fceptre have ? O how happy
are they that have got the ftart of us, and are up
yonder above thef^ vifible heavens already, and paft
all their fears and doubts, and are iinging praifes
without wearying ?

6. Hence fee what a black and white garment
the believer wears. The garment of praife is a
garment of divers colours, died white and black
with mercy and judgment, So?ig i. 5. I am blacky
but comely, O ye daughters of Jerufalem, as the tents
of Kedar, and yet as the curtains of Solomon ; not
only black in themfelves, and comely in Chrift;
black as linners, and comely as faints ; black with
iin, and comely with grace 3 but fometimes black
with perfecution, and comely with confolation ;
black with affli6tion, diftrefs and judgment, but
comely with the mixture of mercy in their cup of
adverfity, while they get the' oil of joy for mourningy
and the garment of praife for the fpirit of heavinefs.

Hence

138 Militant's So7ig:

Hence, with what heavinefs have you gone to
prayer, fometlme under the fenfe of inward trouble
from your hifls, or fome outward trouble from the
world ; fome particular about your hull:)and, your
wife, your children, your family that hath been
diftreiting to you ? You have in heavinefs gone a-
way to God in prayer, and come away with your
foul leaping as a hart within you. O believer, you
need not loath the cup of afflidlion, which your
father gives you to drink j for tho' it be bitter at
the top, yet the fugar is at the bottom of the cup.
What I do J thou hiowejl not now ^ but thou Jhalt k?ioxi>
hereafter,

7. Hence we may fee the happinefs of the
faints, and of all believers in Chriil. They may
in every thing give thanks, for this is the will of
God in Chriil concerning them ; be it profperity
or adverfity, mercy or judgment, in life or in
death, he may iing, that nothing in the world can
make him miferable, no loffes, crofTes, bonds, per-
fecutions, famine, or peflilence. If he may lijig
of judgments, furely the judgments are not vindic-
tive judgments, but fatherly chaftifements, for
God deals not with him according to the tenor of
the law, as a covenant of works, nay he is not un-
der the law, nor liable to the penal fandlion of it :
They are judgments of a fadierly judge, not of a
wrathful judge, otherwife he could not fing of
judgment. How little caufe hath the believer to
be difcontent at outward trials ? What, are you
difcontent at that, out of vvhich God is bringing a
fong of praife in time, and a weight of glory thro*
eternity ?

8. Hence fee the mifery of the wicked. V/hat-
ever matter of finging the children of God hav;e,
yet ye have matter of fighing, howling and lamen-
tation 3

or ^ the Believer s 'Exercife, 139

tation ; for ye are under the curfe of God, under
the curfe of his law, and fo continue in a dreadful
damnable ftate. While ye are out of Chrift, all
the mercies that ye meet with are curfes to you,
and all the judgments you meet with are drops of
divine indignation, and pieces of hell : your tem-
poral mercies are curfes ; the profperity of fools de^
ftroys them, and fo your table is your fnare j fpiritu-
al mercies are curfes to you, from all the flowers
of heavenly blefiings ye fuck poifon j the word is
the favour of death to you -, the gofpel is a ftum-
bling-block to you, over which ye fall into perdi-
tion : and as the fame wind that blows one fhip to
an haven, blows another on the rock ; fo the fame
breath of the minifter, that blows fome to heaven,
blows you to hell : the facrament is a curfe to you,
for ye eat and drink your own damnation 5 the bi-
ble is a curfe to you, for the word of the Lord is
againffc you, and you are againfl it. What fhall I
fay to you gracelefs, chrifdefs, defperate linner ? O
will you tremble and quake, left Chrifl; himfelf,
the bleffing of all bleffings, and m.ercy of all mer-
cies, be a curfe to you, and a ftone of ftumbling,
over which you'll break your neck ; for he is fet
up for the falling, as well as the riflng of many in
IfraeL O that this thunder would awaken fouls
that are fleeping fecurely in a courfe of fin ! As all
mercies are curfes to a wicked reprobate world, fo
judgments are judgments indeed, to you that live
all your days without Chrift, for judgment with-
out mercy is the portion of your cup : every afflic-
tion is a judgment of a wrathful and vindictive
nature unto you. You'll fay, O for patience un-
der fuch a trouble and ficknefs ! Poor gracelefs
foul, fpeaking of patience under trouble ; you're
tlius contending with God, and ftruggling like a

fly

140 Milita72t' s So^jp-

fly under a mountain, and ilriving to be quiet un-
der that which God hath fent to diflurb you. God
does not afflic^t men that are out of Chrifl to exer-
cife their patience, but to diflurb their falle peace
and fecurity. O that God would awaken you ! If
God call for famine on the liland, and make you
feel the effcds of this terrible drought, it is a judg-
ment indeed, and a pledge of hell unto you ; if
God lay you on a fick bed, and afflid: you in your
name, ellate, perfon, friends, all is a piece of hell
to yoUj judgments to you are drops of vengeance.
Again,

9. See how reprovable they are from this doc-
trine, that never fmg of mercy and judgment.
fome never fing at all the praifes of God ; there is
a genteel fafliion among fome in our day, in pub-
lick ordinances, they do not open their mouth to
ilng with the congregation. O ! v/ill they ever
Ung in heaven, that fccrn to iing on earth ! Many
indeed ling with their mouth, that know not vvdiat
it is to ling v/ith their heart, nor ling with their
life to glorify God. Many never fmg of mercy,
notwithftanding of their receiving many mercies ;
they pray for what they want, but never praife for
what they have : and there is much of this ingra-
titude among believers themfelves. Many again,
inllead of linging of mercy, they flight their own
mercies, and fight againll God with his own f i-
vours, they abufe their peace to fecurity, their
drink to drunkennefs, their meat to gluttony, and
their mercies to prefumption, Do ye thus requite the
Lord, O focliJJj people and univife ? Many, if they
iing of mercy, they know not what it is to fing of
judgment ; When God's judgments are in the earthy
the inhabitants of the , world Jhould learn right ecufnefs.
What are ye learning out of this great drought,

whereby

or, the Believer s Exercife, 141

whereby God is threatning to fend a famine on the
land, and break the flaflf of bread ? To fing of
judgment is to bear the rod, and who hath appointed
it 'y to iing oi judgment^ is to fee the hand of God
in the afBi(ftion, to kifs the hand that fmites, and
to glorify God in the fires, and to blefs him that
remeinhers tnercy in the midft of wrath ^ and to an-
fwer the call of God by fuch and fuch a difpenfa-
fation. Many, inflead of finging of mercy and
judgment, they flight both mercy and judgment.
Mercy does not melt them, and judgment does not
move them. O take with the reproof.

10. See how comfortable this dod:rine may be
to all believers and lovers of our Lord Jefus Chrifl.
Ye have ground to ling, not only of mercy, but of
judgment ; I know no cafe you can be in, believer,
but there is room for finging -, the faint may /mg of
mercy, in the midft oi jiidgme?2t. O how can I ling,
when I milTed my mark at this occalion ! fays one;
let them give the praife that have got the profit :
but for me, I am left under the heavy judgments,
under afflidlion, temptation, defertion, yea, and
^ the prevalency and power of fin and corruption j
and therefore there is no room for my finging, but
rather for fighing, mourning and lamenting before
the Lord, and to be humbled to the duft. Whv,
man, indeed it is not humility, but pride, that
makes you refufe to praife : you undervalue the
day of fmall things, and any little meafure of grace
and mercy you enjoy, becaufe, forfooth, you have
not all you would be at ; and it may be,
God is laying, I'll fend trouble upon trouble upon
you, till you be fo humbled as to be thankful for
the leaft mercy, till you be thankful that you're
out of hell, and thankful that you was not born
m America^ where people are worfliipping tlie devil.

142 Militant s S'oitg :

O how many millions of mercies have you to blefs
God for ' and will you be peevifh and quarrel with
your God, and deny him his due, becaufe you get
not all your will ? You have ground of linging,
believer, notwithilanding all that you have faid.
O but how can I ling, when I find fin, by which
God is diflionoured, raging in my heart, and cor-^
Tuptions like fo many devils roaring and domineer-
ing ? If corruptions were (lain, I think I Would
iing, but no other wife. Why, poor foul, I tell
you that you mufl even in that cdStfijg of mercy
and judgment, and fing becaufe he hath faid, SlaJ
them not leaft my people frget, Pfal. lix. 11. If your
corruptions were (lain, as you would have therri,
you would, perhaps, forget your own weaknefs, and
forget your deliverer, and forget your dependance
on him, and forget prayer, and forget pity towards
thefe that are afflided and toffed as you are. It
may be you would forget the fountain open, and
forget to make daily ufe of Chrift, and forget to
fympathife and bear with others, when they fall
or are overtaken in a fault, and forget to walk
humbly, and forget the fweet experience of his
pardoning and purging grace, forget to call yourfelf
a dog when you go before him, faying, Truth,
Lord, I am a dog, I am a devil, I am a lump of
hell. And therefore tho' you may think it ftrange
to hear of bleffing the Lord that corruptions are
not (lain outright, yet, fince infinite wifdom fees
that nothing lefs will cure your forgetfulnefs while
here, even blefs him who hath faid, Slay them Mt,
lefi my people forget . Blefs him, that he hath not
only faid of afflid:ion, temptation, defertion, let
mt my people 'U)ant them, left they forget j but even
of fins, corruption, and fpiritual enemies, Slay
them 72otf lefi my people forget t better they be ffot

cr, the Believer s Exeixife, 143

{lain, than that you forget to give Chrift the glory
of his faving offices, by employing him daily to
heal all your difeafes, and fight all your battles.

1 1 . Hence fee the mark of a true believer, and
try yourfelves by this dodlrine : do you fing of
mercy and judgment ? I might tell you for marks,
that if you have learned this fong of mercy and
judgment, as the fong hath been introduced with
forrowing, I mean with legal convidlion and humi-
liation ; fo will you find it Interrupted with figh-
ing, becaufe all the powers of hell and corruption
will oppofe this fweet exercife ; you will find your
harp muft always be tuned by the hand of the
fpirit, and that you are incapable to fing, till he
pen the fong ; for 'tis with the believer as with
the marygold, it opens and fliuts, as the fun rlfes
and fets ; and yet even when the fun is fet, as it
were, that you cannot open and praife, you will
find praife waiting for the Lord in Zion, Pfal, Ixv.
I . or as it may be rendred, praife is filent for thee
in Zio72 ; Why ? the fpirit of praife is fometimes
filent, bnt yet it is a waiting filence -, you will be
waiting for the fpirit of praife to be poured out ;
and in the mean time acknowledging your debt of
praife ; and fo, while it is not fenfibly running out,
it is gathering a dam, as it were, till the fpirit be
poured out from on high, and then it will flow a-
maln. But inftead of all other marks that might
be mentioned, I offer this, if you be one that hath
learned to fing of mercy and judgment, then you
have got a difcovery of the glory of God's mercy
, and judgment, as reconciled together, and mutual-
ly embracing one another in Chrifl jefus. There
are two letters of God's name, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7,
the one is mercy and grace ; the Lord, the Lord
God merciful and graci©us 3 the other is juftice and

judgment.

144- Militants Song :

judgment, the J^ or d that will by no means clear
tte. guilty; and thefe are the two firings of the
harp, on which the believer Tings. Now have you
bpen taught of God to reconcile thefe two letters
of^ God's name, and fo to play upon thefe two
fkings, by admiring the infinite wifdom that hath
made them meet together, and kifs one another in
Chrifl, Pfal. Ixxxv. lo. Have you feen falvation
fpiringing out of both thefe, and glory ariiing to
both thefe attributes of God, from Chrift's obedi-
ence to the death, v/hom God hath fet forth to be
the propitiation, &c. Have you feen mercy run-
ning in the channel of a compleat fatisfadion to
juflice, and fo God by no means clearing the guil-
ty, without a facrifice and attonement ? Many pre-
tend to fing of mercy, and fay, I hope in God's
mercy, but they know not what it is to fing of
mercy, to the highefl praife of mercy, in finding
out a ranfom, whereby mercy is magnified, not
to the difparagement, but to the highefl praife
of infinite juflice; becaufe judgment was execute
upon the furety to the ttttermoil, that the curfe of
the law, and the vengeance of heaven aeainft fin,
could demand. If ever you fang to purpofe of
mercy and judgment, you have feen and admired
the glory that fliines in this mutual embracing be-
twixt mercy and judgment.

12. The lall inference I offer, is this; hence
we may fee the duty of all the people of God,
namely, to fing of mercy and judgment ; it is the
duty of all hearing me, as to feek and pray while
they are out of .heaven, fo to fing and praife while
they are out of hell ; but whatever others do, be-
liever, you in particular are to fing of mercy and
judgment ; he hath done much for otiicrs ; but he
hath done more, for you ; he hath given you-him-

felf

ory the Believer s Exercife, 145

felf K) be your God, his fon to be your (hield, his
fpirit to be your guide, his covenant to be your
charter, and his heaven to be your inheritance ; he
hath given you his word and oath, that tho' he
will vifit your iniquities with a rod, and yout
tranfgreflions with ftripes, and execute judgment
on your lufts, and take vengeance on your inven*-
tions, yet his loving kindnefs will he not take a*-
way, nor alter the word that hath gone out of his
mouth. Once hath he fworn by his holinefs, that
he will not lie unto David 5 and therefore you may
fing of mercy and judgment: and even at your
lowefl, when you are crying out, Behold I am vile,
O I am black, I am black, I am black ; yet evea
then he is looking upon you in Chriil, and faying.
Behold thou art fair, my Ibve, behold thou art
fair, not only by imputed righteoufnefs, but even
by implanted grace, which makes you look upon
lin as the greateft evil, and groan under it as the
greateil burthen j even at your lowefl, there is
fomething about your heart-roots, that fays, O I
would be content to live in a coal pit with Chrift,
rather than in a palace without him j a day in his
courts is better than a thoufand ; I had rather be
a door keeper, ^c. O to fee his name glorified in
the world, and his kingdom coming in me, and
in thoufands about me ! O fing, fing, fing of mer-
cy and judgment, you have botli to fing of. ^ejl.
Howjhall I fing one of the Jongs of Zion in Stfirange
land f I offer fome general diredtions, and then I
clofe.

FirJ}^ See that your fong be fung upon a neW
harp, I mean with a new heart and a new fpirit*
Ye that are gracelefs will never fing, till you get a
new heart 5 O go to God, and cry for it j ye that
are gracious will never fmg aiight, unlefs the new

146 Militant's Song :

harp get a new fet -, and the firings be drawn up,
and the heart tuned by the hand of the fpirit j and
therefore feek the new influence for every new
.fong, and the fpirit to didlate the fong, and raife
the notes : as the dial in the day-hght will not
{hew the hour without the fun, fo your harp of
grace will not aflford melody without the fpirit ;
therefore feek the fpirit to help you, when you
cannot utter his praife ; and when you find your
hearts in a praying frame, O hold at it, faying,
as David, My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed, I will
fi?ig and give praife.

2. If you would fing aright of mercy and judg-
ment, then you mufl fing in your beft robes, I
mean, putting on Chrift Jefus and his righteoufnefs
for your garment ; this is the garment of praife ;
and this garment fmels of aloes, myrrhe and caflia,
and is the only thing that can perfume the praifes
of the faints : If you have Efaus garments, what
tho' you have yacob's voice, fo as you want a
tongue, and a heart, and a voice, to praife him as
you ought, yet, with your elder brother's garment,
you may get the blefiing. Come to God, under a
fenfe of your own unworthinefs, and want of righ-
teoufnefs, and yet faying. Worthy is the lamb that
'was fiain. O pray and praife both under the co-
vert of blood.

3. Put a mark upon mercy, if you would fing
of mercy ; tho' it were never fo little, it is no more
.than you deferve. I have heard of a Jewifio dodtor,
that was called Rabbi THIS TOO, becaufe he u-
fed to fay, whatever befel him, This is good too, and
this too, and this too : you may well fay, how little
.foever you have, this is more than I am worthy of,

and this too, and this too. He that fees that no-
thing is his but fin, cannot but wonder that any

thing

or ^ the Believer s Exercife, 147

thing is his but hell ; put a mark upon mercy, fay-
ing, O my fold forget not all his Benefits^ &c. Mind
the vifit he gave you at fuch and fuch a place, in
fuch and fuch an ordinance ; mind his words of
grace and blinks of love j put up fome of the man-
na in the golden pot.

4. Put a mark upon judgments. If -you would
fing of judgment as well as mercy, and lay your
account with judgment, let not national judgments
pafs without a remark, that God may get the glory
of his holy and juft adminiflration ; many judgments
are come upon us, and many fad tokens of judg-
ment a coming, becaufe of our national apoflacy
from the work of reformation, our covenant
breaking, our perjury, and all the other rampant
abominations of our day. Learn the language of
judgment, hear the -rod, fee If. xxiv. 14. It is mat-
ter of finging, that Chrift hath a greater concern
for his church than you can have, for the govern-
ment is upon his fhoulders; God will take care
of his own church, and Chrift hath more care of
it than you can have, and upon all the glory there
fliall be a defence ; but no thanks to a corrupt par-
ty, that would fet dodlrine; difcipline, worihip
and government, and all before the wind : God
ufually brings about church reformation with a
judgment, and then will the remnant fing of judg-
ment, v/hen God fcums the pot, and cafts the
fcum into the fire, as you have it, Ezek. xxiv. 12.
She hath wearied herfelf with lies. O but Scotla?2d
hath wearied herfelf with the lies of carnal policy,
with the lies of court-flattery j and there is a great
fcum that covers and darkens the dodrine of the
gofpel, and a great fcum that covers and clouds all
our reformation light, a great fcum of felf-juftify-
ing pride, that will rather facrifice truth than take

L 2 with

1^8 Militant's Song :

with a fault, and rather let truth fufFer than her
credit ? And yet her credit is cracked, ever fince
her covenant v^ith God w^as broken, and burnt,
gnd never a hand put forth to take it out of the
fire, and renew it fince tliat time ; but yet the co-
venant fhall be on the field, when the fcum (hall
be in the fire. But what iliall we fay ; there
feems to be nothing but fcum among us, nothing
but filth and baggage 5 muft all go to the fire to-
gether r Yea, tho' it be fo, yet a remnant iliall
ling in the fires, when the fcum will be confumed
therein, as you fee, Jfa. xxiv. 13, 14, 15. If this
fhall be done in the iiles of the fea, furely the illes
of Britain and Ireland are not excluded. Let not
perfonal judgments and flrokes pafs without a re-
mark, but let God get the glory of his frowning,
as well as of his fmiling difpenfations ; and lay
your account with judgments, that you may fing
of judgment when it comes : be not furprifed, tho'
afili6:ion, temptation, and defertion come upon
you, on the back of a communion ; God ufes to
feaft his people to fit them for a tria,l : days of
fweet enlargement are ufually blinks before a fhow-
er, as Feter and 'John were witnefTea of Chrifl's
transfiguration on the mount, . that they might next
be witnefics of his agony in the garden. Lay your
account with trials from heaven, earth, and hell*,
that having laid your account with them before
hand, you may not forget to fing; yea, lay, your
account that the Philijiines will be upon you, Sanu
fonj, all your lufls and corruptions will be upon
you J therefore watch and pray, that you enter not
into temptatipfi, and that your iniquity get not
fuch hold upon you, that you fhall not be able to
iing. _ And therefore.

or^ the Believer s Exercife. 149

5. If you would fing aright of mercy and judg-"
ment, let your fong be a pradiical fong. Here I
muft tell you, that fome take the words for Da'vid's
mercy and judgment that he was refolved to exer-"
cife in his government, namely, to be merciful and
jull: J the mercy of God fliall teach me to be mer-
ciful, and his juftice and judgment fhall teach me
to be jufti I'll praife thee, by exercifing mercy
andjuftice in my ftatlon, as a king and a magi-
ftrate: his refolution here is, that the mercy and
juftice of God fhould be extolled in his thoughts,
expreffed in his words, and exemplified in his acr
tions, according to that command, Hof. xii. 6.
Keep mercy a7id judgment y a?:d wait on thy God con-
tinually. If you would ling of mercy and judg-
ment, then keep mercy and judgment ; have you
fliared of the mercy of God, and v/ill you not be
merciful, as your heavenly father is ? Do yqu
know the judgment of God, and will you not be
juft and righteous, and equal in all our dealings
with men, and converfation in the world ? David's
fong here is a practical fong, and you may fee at
your leifure the feveral notes of tliis practical fong
in the following part of the pfalm ; and do you the
fame according to your ftation. One note of this
fong iSj verfe 2. I will behave 7?iyfelf wifely ^ &c. that
thro' grace he will a6l confcientiouflyandconfiderate-
ly, and in the mean time praying that the Lord would
come and dwell with him in his houfe, O when
wilt thou come to me f Another note of this fbng is,
verfe 3 , where he refolves to practice no evil him-
felf, but Ihuts his eyes from feeing evil. Another
note^of his fong, verfes 4, 5. he will not keep bad
fervants, nor employ thefe about him that were
vicious ; that he would have nothing to do with
malijcious people, thefe that were llanderers of their

L 3 neigh*

150 Militant's Song :

neighbours, nor thefe tliat were proud and haugh-
ty, nor thefe that were deceitful, and made no
confcience of lying and deceit. Another note of
his fong, verfe 6. that he would keep company
with them that feared God, that he would keep
good company and honefl: fervants : you do not
practically ling to the praife of God, if you do o-
therwife. Another note of his fong is, verfe 8.
that he will extend his zeal to the reforming of
city and country : we are to ftudy the reformation
of manners, and the fuppreffion of vice, in our
feveral ftations ; being filled with a zeal for the
glory of God j the interefl: of Chrifl and his truths.
The gofpel-church is the city of the Lord ; we
are to feek the honour of God in the purity of
his church,

6. And la/ifyj In order to your finging aright
this practical fong, lay the burden of the fong up-
on the back of the chief mufician, who is the chief
finger, even y^fiis Chriji, in whofe obedience to
the death was raifed a fong of praife and glory to
God in the highefl, and by the breathing of whofe
ipirit alone you can fing and ferve the Lord accept-
ably. He hath faid, Without me ye can do 7iothing^
and furely without him you cannot fing 3 there-
fore depend upon him, who only can make the
tongue of the dumb to fing. If there were more
dependence on him, the tongue as well as the life
of profefibrs would be more employed in finging
his praifes, and talking of his name, and fpeaking
of his glory. What a fad matter is it, that a dumb
devil hath . pofiefled the generality of profefibrs as
to fpiritual converfe ? O the idle world talk upon
fabbath days, yea, on communion-days ! Some
will go away even from this communion, talking
more of the corn and weather, or any thing elfe,

than

or, the Believer s Exercife, 151

than upon the word they have heard, or any foul-
edifying difcourfe fuitable to the occafion. What
faid Chrift of the poffeffed man in the gofpel ?
^hou dumb and deaf jpirit\ I charge thee to come out
of him. O look to him, that he would charge the
dumb devil to come out of you, that your tongues
may ling his praifes, and fpeak of his glory. How
hardning is it to a wicked world to fee the pro-
feflbrs as carnal and worldy as themfelves ? O then
employ the chief linger to help you to ling, and
plead his promife for this end, Ffal. cxxxviii. 5.
^hey Jhall fmg in the ways, of the Lord, for great is
the glory of the Lord : yea, he hath promifed to
give fongs in the night of adverlity, that is, a fong
of mercy in the midll of judgment and afflidlion,
Hof, ii. 15. / will give her the nj alley of Achorfor
a door of hopCi andf^e Jloallfing there. O believer,
whatever be your difcouragement and complaint,
while furrounded with judgment and trials, let not
the world fee you damped and difcouraged, left
they fay you ferve a bad mafter that does not allow
you to ling. Whatever dead weights you have
upon your fpirit, which God and you know, ye
may tell him of it, and tell fome godly perfon
that will fympathize with you in it ; but let not
the world hear of your complaints and difcourage-
ments, let them know you ferve a good mafter ;
and remember how he encourages you to this, fay-
ing, How great is the loving kindnefs thou haji laid
v-p for them that trufi in thee before the fens of men ?
Or, as it may be explained, who carry boldly and
courageoully, under whatever difficulties and dan-
gers, before the fons of men, and fo glorify God
before the world : and therefore, tho' you may
weep in fecret places before the Lord, and win to
litde more than a ligh or a fob, yet endeavour to

L 4 fing

T 5 2 Militanfii iSong ■:

fing before the world at leaft, that ye may bring
up a good report of religion, and that the world
may know you believe what you profefs^ that yet
a little while and you fliall return to Zien- with
fings, and cverlajiing joy upon your heads, &c. and
that though your body fliall be laid in the, duft
within a little time, yet a little while, and the
happy joyful morning of a glorious refurrediion
is haflning on, when the voice will be heard, Ifa.
xxvi. 19. Au'ake mid Jitig ye that dwell in the duji.
O fing, fing amidfl all your forrows and fighing ;
fing of mercy and judgment, in hope of linging
there, sNh&xt, Jorrow 2XiA fighing fimll flee away. O
go away finging, in fpite of the devil and corrup-
tion ; and take Chrift the chief finger along with
you, to tune your harp, whenfoever the devil
puts it out of tune : go up from the wilderi>efs
leaning upon him, who hath engaged to work in
you both to will and to do.

And now, when we are parting, al^s ! Is it
not a fore matter, that there are many here that
will never learn to fing on earth, nor never win
to fing in heaven ? They never win to the very
lirfl note of the fpiritual long, which is. To believe
on the Bon, of God-, for without faith it is impqffible
fa pleafe God, or praife him ; and as they never win
to this, fo it never cofls them an hour's care, or made
them lofe an hour's fleep, that they could not be-
lieve in Chrift. O wretched man^ are you carelefs
and indifferent, whether you fing in heaven. ;a-
mong angels, or roar in hell among devils, to all
eternity, and for long evermore ? Yea, there are
fome here, that do not believe there is fuch a per-
fon as Chrifl in heaven j they have had a fancy
about him, by their hearing of him in the got-
pel 5 ^ut never had the faith of th« Son of God,
^ ■ by

or, the Believer sExercife, 153

by the fpirit's revealing him in the heart. And
yet you're hving carelels and fecure, in the pur-
luit of your fins and idols: you're going ftraight
to hell, with a cart-load of fermons on your
back, and making poor minifters fpend their
breath and labour in vain, and preach you to
the devil, when they would fain preach you to
Chrill. O, fliall we part, and not a foul of you
be touched and turned to the Lord, or brought to
learn any other fong, but to ling yourfelvcs a-
fleep in the arms of the devil and your lufts ?
jSome are keeping in the arms of a black devil,
in the purfuit of grofs and abominable lufts of
drunkenefs, whoredom, fabbath-breaking, &c. O-
thers are fleeping in the arms of a white devil,
going about to eftablifh a righteoufnefs of their
own, refting on their legal duties and prayers ;
having a form of godlinefs, but denying the pow-
er thereof J expeding God will have mercy -dn
them, becaufe they obferve feveral duties of the
law, which others negleA ; and fo finging a falfe
fong gf mercy, or hope of miercy, while they
never knew the iudgment of God, nor law the
wonders of God's executing all the judgments
threatned in the law upcn the glorious furety
dirill Jefus, nor ever crept under that cover to
efcape the judgment of God ; but while you are
Grangers to Chrifl:, all your worlhip is but hy-
pocrify, your zeal but madnefs, your faith but
iancy, and your v/ork abominable to God. O,
will none of you be prevailed with to cry with
your hearts to the Lord, faying, Lord pluck me
out of the arms of the devil^ and as a brand
out of the burning? A& yoti- Would met defpife
the riches of his mercy, and- incur the fury of
his judgment,.: g6 to a comeryand cry to I'irr.,

154 Militant* s Songy &^c.

that he would teach you how to fing of mercy
and judgment. It may be the Lord will pity you
for his name's fake. O may the Lord himfelf
fhew his glory to you, and make you fee mer-
cy and judgment meeting and kiffing each other,
and with joint harmony carrying on your falva-
tion-work, in fpite of all the oppofing legions of
hell, and bring you to put in pradlice the pfal-
mill's fweet refolution here, I will fing of mer-
cy and judgtnent^ unto thee^ 0 Lord^ will I fing.

Unbe--

Unbelief arraigned and condemned
at the bar of God.

BEING

A SERMON preached in the Tolboofh-Churcb
of Edinbu7'ghy March 2, 1727.

By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

And when he is come^ he will convince the wox,ld of Jin ^
and of right eoufnefs, and of judgment. Of fin ^ be-
caufe they believe not on me.

John xvi. 7, 8.

John iii. 18.
He that helieveth noty is condemned

already'

CHRIST, having in the preceeding verfe,
declared the great end and defign of his mif-
fion by the Father, or of his manifeflation in our
nature ; namely. Not that he jhould condemn the
world 'y but that the world through him might befa-
ved'y in the verfe v^here my text lies, deduces a
twofold inference therefrom : the firfl is very fweet
and comfortable, in the former part of the verfe.
He that believeth on him^ is not condemned-, that is,
he who falls in with the great end of my mani-
feflation in the nature of man, he who gives me

1^6 Unidief arraigned

my eirand, by intruding his loft and ruined foul
into my hand ; altho' he be a finner, and a great
iinner; tho' the law and juftice of God be purfu^
ipg him, for the. many millions of talents he is
owing; yet the procefs fhall be ftbpped, the judg-
ment arrefted, the fentence of the broken law can-
celled, infomuch that he cannot come into con-
demnation ; and if he be not condemned, he muft
be; abfolved and acquitted. I, as his furety, have
paid the debt, and obtained the difcharge under
the hand of juftice; I was madefm, for him, that
he might be made the right eoufnefs of Gcdm me ; and
therefore, whb can lay any thing to his charge ?

The fecond inference, drawn from the defign of
iha incarnation of the Son of God, is very terrible
and awful ; and you have it in the words I delign
to infift a little upon, He that believeth noty is con-
demned ah~eady. For which there is a very relevant
reafon given, in the clofe of the verfe, Becaufe he
believeth not in the name of the only begotten San of
God.

It Is the middle claufe of the verfe I am to fpeak
to. He that believeth not^ is condemned already ;
where we may notice, (i.) -A- capital crime change-
able upon moft of gofpel-hearers, not-believing,
(2f) lAn awful fentence paft againft the criminal;
he is condemned. (3) The quality of the fentence,
iraplied in that expreffion,_ condemned already ;
which may point either at the certainty of the un-
believer's condemnation : it is not fimply a thing
future, or to be done ; but it is done already. The
fentence is pronounced and gone forth againft him,
from the mouth of the righteous judge: yea, not
only is fentence paft, but is partly execute, the
law having delivered him over, in a way of righ-
teous judgment, into the power and dominion of

fin,

and condemned, 157

fin, which is fpiritual death. Or, the word al-
ready ^ may point at the feverity of the unbeliever's
fentence j his fin is of fuch a deep dye, of fuch a
criminal nature, that the judge cannot put up
with it as he doth with other fins, PfaL 1. 21. it
offers fuch indignity to his beloved Son, the dar-
ling of his foiil, that he cannot fhun to adjudge
the erirninal to immediate death. Or the word
may intimate this much to us, that the fentcnC-e of
the brokert- law ilands. in full force and vigour a-
gainft the unbelieving ^finner, for all his other fins:
he defpifes the only remedy, the only facrifice for
fin; and therefore every finful thought, word and
ad:ion, expofes him. to thejuft vengeance of a
righteous God, iij tictiey . and through endlefs eter-
nity. ^ ...••.> -^"f T^ ■' ^^- ^-(

My dodlrine is, I'hat every unbdiet^-is a fenten-
cedand condemned criminal before God. Or take it,
if you will, in the very words of the text, He that
believeth not^ is condemned already.

Here, through divine afiiftance, I fhall fpeak,
I./?, Of the crime, 2dly^ Of the fentence. 'T^dly,
Of the grounds on which the fentence is founded.
/^thly^ Deduce fome inferences from the whole.

Firji^ I would fpeak a little of the crime, which
Is.unbehef J by giving fome account of it, i. In its
nature,. 2 ..^ In its caufes.

As for the firft, viz. The nature of unbelief.
Before I proceed to fhew wherein it cbnfifts, to
prevent miftakes, I ftiall name a few things, which
will not amount unto this heavy charge in God's
reckoning, whatever they may fometimes do in the
court of an erring or mifinformed confcience.
' I. Unbelief does not lie in a perfon's bein^ in
the dark, as to his actual union with Chrift or in-
tereft in him, A real believer may want' the fen-

fible

1^8 Unbelief arraigned

fible aflurance of God's love, and yet at the fame
time be acting faith with an alTurance of appropri-
ation upon the promife of a reconciled Cod in
Chrifl. Senfe may be faying, as in the Cafe of
Hemaji, PfaL Ixxxviii. Tbou haji laid me in the Igw-
eji pit, I am ready to die from my youth up, I am
difiraBed with thy terrors : and yet faith breathing
out its appropriating ad:, and faying, O Lord God
of my fahation ; it will look in the face of a hiding
and fmiting Cod, and fay, Though he Jhould kill me,
yet will I truji in him. And feeing it is fo, it mufl
needs follow, that unbelief does not lie in a per-
fon's being in the dark as to his adual intereft in
Chriil ; to fay fo, were to offend againft the gene-
ration of the righteous, who may be Trujiing in
the name of the Lord, and flaying themfelves upon,
their God, while they walk in darknejs, and fee no
light.

2. Vnhelief ^Q)^% not lie in the interruption of the
actings and exercife of faith. We find the faith of
the moft eminent faints, many times, interrupted
in its exercife, through the prevalency of temptation
and indwelling corruption, Ffalm Ixxvii, 7. the holy
man there, in a fit of unbelief, cries. Hath God for-
gotten to be gracious ? Doth his promife fail for ever-
more ? David, in the like cafe, gives the lye to a
God of truth, through the fides of all his prophets,
Pfalm cxvi. 10, 11. Ifaidinfnyhafle, all men are
liars. This was indeed a pang of unbelief 5 but
did not argue unbelief in its reign. Many times
faith is laid afleep in its habit, while yet the life
of it remains ; like Sa?nfon in the hands of the Phi-
liflines, though his life was continued, yet the
locks, wherein his ilrength lay, were cut.

3. This unbelief, whereof I fpeak, does not
confift in a difbelief of fome particular truths of the

word,

and condemned^ 159

word, through ignorance, providing they be not
fundamental. Every error in the head, through
ignorance, does not deftroy the being of faith in
the heart 3 no more than every mifcarriage in the
life, through w^eaknefs, deftroys the being and
reality of the grace of God in the foul. The apof-
tles, we find, all the time of Chrift's life, yea, af-
ter his refurredlion alfo, were in an error as to the
nature of the Meffiah's kingdom, imagining that it
was to be modelled after the fafhion of the king-
doms of this world ; neither did they believe the
univerfal call and offer of the gofpel unto the Geii^
tile nations, as well as to the "Jews^ until they were
convinced of their error by Peters vifion. But,
notwithftanding of this error of theirs, they believed
in Chrift as the promifed Meffiah, and refted on
him as the Saviour of the world.

4. I do not here fpeak of the negative unbelief of
the heathen world, who never had the benefit of
gofpel-revelation. Homo fiall they believe (fays the
Apoftle, Rom. x. 14.) i/i hi?n of whom they have not
heard f Their unbelief or infidelity, is more pro-
perly their punifhment than their fin. They can
no more be punifiied for not believing in Chrift,
than a man can be condemned for not feeing the
fun at midnight, when it is in the other horizon ;
or than a man can be blamed for not receiving a
gift that was never in his offer ; fo that it is not the
negative unbelief of the heathens I now^ fpeak of,
but the pofitive unbelief of thefe who fit under the
light of the glorious gofpel.

But, fay you, feeing none of thefe will amount to
the charge of unbelief, wherein then doth it con-
fifi: ? Anf. There are three things, any one of which
will amount to this capital crime ; ( 1 ) a denying df
the truth of the gofpel ^ a looking upon the word

1 6 o Unbelief arraigned

of God, contained in the fcriptures, asafiftionj dr
cimningly devifed fable* I am very jealous, there are
unbelievers of this flamp, among thefe who are called
by the name of chriftians ; men pretending to be
great mailers of reafon, who, becaufe their weak
and depraved minds cannot grafp the unfearchable
myfleries of our holy religion, do therefore turn in-
fidel, and reje<5t the whole as an incredible paradox.
This very things upon which they ftumble, proves it
to be of a divine original. The unfearchable wif-
dom, that appears in every one of the works of God,
prove them to be indeed his works, and not the works
of any created being. And fliall it be imaginedj that
there is lefs wifdom in his words than in his works,
when they are the more immediate produd: and
pidure of his infinite underilanding, which can ne-
ver be fearched out ? Here, if any where, we may
expert the deep things of God \ the wifdom of God in a
myftery, which none of thepri7ices of this world knew,
(2.) A doubting, or wavering uncertainty of mind
about the truths of the gofpel, will amount to this
crime of unbelief, pointed at in my text. There are
fome, who, though they do not go the length oi
denying flatly that the bible is the word of God, or
that the gofpel is of a divine original j yet they are in
a hover and fufpenfe about it ; like the worfliippers
of J5W, they halt between two opinions, they nei-
ther believe nor dilbelieve it 5 but are like the fcales
of an even ballance, ready to turn either to this or
the other fide. Such are unbelievers, in Chrift's
reckoning j for He that is not with me^ fays he, is
cgainfi me. (3.) When though a perfon may be
convinced in his mind, by rational arguments, that.
the bible is the word of God, that the gofpel is of a
ilivine extradt j yet does not fall in with the great
defign of the fcriptures, by receiving Chrijly and

rsjlin^

'^ find condemned. '' 1 6 1

rejling upon him alone- for fahatio?!, as he is there,
prefented and difcovered. We have the defign of
the whole word of God exprefled in one verfe,
yohn XX. 31. 'T'hefi4hings are written that ye anight
believe that Jeftis istheChrift the S^^ofGod^ and that
believing ye might ha^e life throiigk-his^name. And
therefore, when Chi-ift is not received as the pro-
mifed Mejpah^ the Saviour of the wofld, and adtu-
aily improved for thefe ends and ufes for which he
is revealed and e-xhibited in the word j particularly
forivifdomy rigJoteoufnefsy JanSiification and redemp-*
tion ; in this cafe, I fay, a perfon falls under the
heavy charge of unbelief, and is condemned al-
ready. This laft is the unbelief which I take to be
principally pointed at in my text, and is moft fre-
quent and prevalent among the hearers of the gof-
pel. So much for the nature of unbelief.

I come, fecondly^ to enquire a little into fome of
its caufcs : And, among many that might be named,-
I fhall only mention thefe few^

I/?, The devil has a great hand in it. Faith is the
great engine whereby his kingdom and intereft is
overthrown in the world ; and therefore he ftudies
by all poiTible means to keep the finner under the
power of unbelief For which end, he ufes a
great many wiles and ftratagems. His firil and
principal care is to hufh the houfe, and keep it in
peace and quiet. In order to this, he perfwades
the man that his ftate is good enmigh ; that thdugh
he be a finneri yet his iins are but fm„all and ve-
nial ; aiid that it cannot confift with the juftiee of
Godto 't)Ui'fue fuch fmall fins with eternal punifh-
ment.'- If, hotwithftanding of thefe furmiies/^the
man's confcience i^nhoi be' fatisfied^ but it begitW
to awaken, challeiige ^atnd fmite > him : - he ftudie*
to lay him afleep again with the profpedl df gene-

1 6 2 Unbelief arraigned

ral and abfolute mercy. If again, this lying re-*
fuge be beat down by the hail of divine terrors, he
betakes hi mfelf to another artifice ; he conceals and
hides the attribute of mercy, prefenting God to the
foul as an implacable and inexorable judge, who
will by no means acquit the guilty ; and thus, by
hiding the remedy, he iludies to drive the finner
to defpair. And indeed the devil is much more
ikilled in reprefenting the juftice than the mercy
of God to a iinner's view, being an utter ftranger
to the laft, but well acquainted with the firft from
his fad experience. But whatever views he gives
of God to the iinner, whether in his jufcice or
mercy, his defign is flill to carry the foul off. from
ChriA, and the mercy of God running in the
channel of his atoning blood. By prefenting abfo-
lute mercy, he encourages the finner to go on in fin,
hoping to be faved, though he never be fandiified
by the fpirit of Chrifl. V/hen he prefents the
jufi:ice of God, he fiiudies to drive the finner to a
hopelefs defpair of falvation by his atoning blood >
and thereupon the finner, either with "Judas runs
to a halter for eafe, or puts on a defperate refolu-
tion, that if he be dam.ned, he Ihall be damned for
fomething : and fo takes a full fwing in gratifying
his lufiis, crying,' with thefe Jerem. ii. There is no
hope, we have lo'^ed fir angers, and after them we will
go. If, notwithftanding of the utmofi: arts and ef-
forts of hell, the remedy be difcovered to the fin-
ner, 'viz. Chrift, as the alone foundation God hath
laid in Zion ; then the enemy has anotlier fi:rata-
gem at hand to difcourage the poor finner from
making ufe of Chrifi; ; he perfwades the man, that
he is not fit enough for Chrifi: j he mufi; be fo hum-
ble, fo holy, fo penitent, and have this and the
other qualification, before he adventure to come to

ChriH.

and co7jdep297ed, 163

Ghnfl. O if I were flindificd, mortified, felf-de-
nied, wafhed, then Chrill would make me wel-
come. This is nothing but an artifice of hell, for
tlie ruin of foulsj perfv/ading finners tJiat they
muft bring money and price with them to Chrift;
that tliey mufl have fuch and fuch things before
tliey come to Chriil:, which are only to be got by
an actual union with him by faith. Thus, I fay^
the devil has a great hand in unbelief, it being the
very ftrength of his kingdom ; and fo long as he
keeps this hold in fafety, he is very eafy what
fliapes of morality, civility, or profefTion, a man
may caft himfelf into ; for he knows well, that he
who believes not fliali be damned, let him do elfe
whatever he pleafes.

2dl)\ Ignorance is another great caufe of unbe-
lief. My people^ fays the Lord, are dejiroyed for lack
of hio'wkdge. Ignorance of God, in his holinefs,
juftice, and other adorable excellencies ; ignorance
of the law of God in its purity, extent and fpiri-
tuality ; ignorance of fin in its exceeding finfuU
nefs J ignorance of the great myflrery of godlinefs,
the union of the two natures in the perfon of
our wonderful Lnmanuel-, ignorance of his fub-
ftitution in the room of finners, and of that ever-
lafiing and law-magnifying righteoufnefs he has
brought in by his obedience unto the death ; igno-
rance of the free accefs finners have unto Chriftj
and his whole falvation, in and by a confirmed
teftament or promife, which is put in their hands j
and/?/? to them, Heb. iv. i. that they may ufe and
claim the benefit of it in a way of believing. I fay,
the God of this world he Minds the minds of thefe
who Believe not^ that they may not know thefe
things which belong to their eternal peace : he is
afraid, left the light of the glorious gofpel of Chrift,
M 2 who

1 64 Unbelief arraigned

who is the image of God, ihould fliine into their
hearts. I am perfwaded, did linners but know
how near Chriil and his purchafed lalvation are
brought to them by the gofpel, there would not be
fo many unbeUevers among us. People generally
look on Chrift, and eternal life in him, as things'
that are far out of their reach 5 and thereupon they
turn carelef& and eafy about them, having no hope
of ever attaining them^ being things too high and
great for them : But, O lirs, this is only a veil or
mifl: caft before your eyes, by the great enemy of
your falvation, that you may not fee your cwti
mercy : For, were your eyes opened, you would,
fee Chrifl:, and all the bleffings of his purchafe,
brought, as it were, within the very reach of your
hand. The manna is lying round your tent doors,
and you have no more ado but to gather and ufe it,
Jfaiah xl. h{^verfe. Rom. x. 7, 8. Jobft vi. 32.

2^/y, Pride is another great caufe of unbelief j
this is juil the poifon of the old ferpent, who, be-
ing lifted up with pride, fell into condemnation ;
by pride he ruined all mankind, Tefiallbe as Gods;
and by pride he ftill keeps us under his power ;
hence we read of high and towering imaginations
in the heart of man, which exalt themfelves againfl
the knowledge of Chrift. There is a pride in the
heart of man, by nature, which ftands dire6:ly
oppofite to the way of falvation by grace : God is
willing to give life, but we will needs merit and
deferve it, God will have all to be of grace, that
boafting may be excluded 5 but we will have all in
a way of debt, that we may have whereof to glory.
What, fays the proud heart, will ever God give, or
ihall I take eternal life for nothing ? No, I will not
have it, unlefs God will accept fome equivalent,
fome fervice or work for it. TFill not God be pleafed

with

and co7iclemned, 165

"With thoujands of rams ? &c. The pride of the
heart will fet a man a work, to do or fuffer any-
thing for life and falvation, rather than believe in
Chrift, and be faved in a way of grace : As we fee
in the cafe oi the poor deluded papifts ; they'll ra-
ther quit their kingdoms and thrones, put them-
felves into monafteries, lie on hair, live on alms,
tire themfelves, by faying the book of Pfalms over
once every twenty-four hours ; and for that end
break their lleep by riling twice or thrice a night,
faying fo many prayers to the Virgin Marjj and to
this and the other faint ; they'll whip themfelves
tear their bodies, go into penances and long pilgri-
mages : all this, and much more, they'll do, for
pardon and falvation, rather than take God's me-
tliod, which is to receive eternal life, as the free
gift of God, through Jefus Chrifl our Lord.
Whence comes all this ilir, but only from the pride
of our hearts, which will ftoop to any thing of our
own deviling, though never fo bafe and mean, ra-
ther than floop to be faved in a way of grace ? That
is a flrange inflance of the pride of the heart, which
we have, Rom. x. 3. where it is faid of the proud
felf-righteous yews^ They we7it about to eJiabliJJo their
own righteoufnefs^ and would not fid>?mt unto the righ-
teoufnefs of God. O ilrange ! Shall a poor naked
beggar, that has not a rag to cover him, reckon it
fubmillion or humility in him to accept of a robe ?
Shall a condemned malefador reckon it fubmiflion
to receive the king's pardon, the captive to accept of
liberty, or a man mortally wounded to accept of a
healing balm ? Yet this is the very cafe with us,
through ths pride of our hearts, we will not fub-
mit to the righteoufnefs of God, but will needs efta-
blifh a righteoufnefs of our own. Nature though
affiilcd by external revelation, can never think of
M 3 another

1 6 6 Ujtbelief arraigned

another way of falvation than that of the firfl Adam^
liz. by doing and working. To be faved and
juflified by the doing and dying of another, is a
myflery which flefli and blood cannot receive, till
the ftrcngth of natural pride be broken by the al-
mighty power of God. Men naturally will wear no
other garment than that which, like the fpider,
they fpin out of their own bowels. But what fays
God, IJhiahVix. 6. Their ivebs Jkall 72ot become gar-
ments^ neither JJ:all they cover themfehes with their
ivorks. Man will needs enter into life and glory,
by the door of the law, which God has condemned
and barred againft all mankind, Unce the fall ; for
by the works of the lawJJ:aIl no feJJj living be jujiijlcd.
Sirs, allow me to tell you, that God never defigned
to bring man to life by the law, or the vv^orks
thereof : no, the laws of works was only intended
as a fcaffold, by which he meant to rear up a houfe
of mercy, in which he deligned to harbour a com-
pany of bankrupts, that they might live upon his
charity and grace for ever : and immediately upon
the entry of fin, the fcaffold of the law as a cove-
nant, was taken down and broken in pieces. Oh !
what deyilifh pride is it in us, to attempt the re-
building of the fcaffold, that we may climb up to
heaven by it, rather than enter the threfhold of the
houfe of mercy, which God has refolved fiall be
built lip for ever ^ Pfalm Ixxxix. 2. Sirs, allow me
to tell you, however high you may climb heaven-
ward, upon the fcaffold of the law, in your own
conceit, and in the efteem of others -, yet' you fhall
be cafi down into hell^ like Capernaum. Your houfe
being built upon the fan d^ it will fall ^ and great will
be the fall thereof The day of the Lord of Hoftsfiall
l^e upon evoy one that is proud ^ and the hftinefs of man
pallb^ boi.v'ed downy and the haugktinefs of man fall

and condemned. 167

he made low j and the Lord alone fiall be exalted ^
Ifaiah ii.

4//?/)', A pretended humility and felf-denial, is
another great bar, in the way of believing to ma-
ny ; they thruft away Chrill and the mercy of God
fron:^ J:,hem, under a pretence that they are not fit
fori^ -,,0 ! fays the man, I am fuch a hell-deferv-
ing iinner, my iins arc fo great, that I dare not
think of coming to Chrifl: ; he was never intended
for the like of me. This carries a fair fhew of
humility and felf-denial, while it is only a devil of
pride, transforming himfelf into an angel of light.
You fay you are not worthy of the mercy of God.
I anfwer, it is very true \ but then you would con-
fider, that mercy could not be mercy, if you were
worthy of it ; it v/ould be merit, and not mercy :
grace would not be grace, but debt, if you could
deferve it. This way of thinking or fpeaking is
quite fubverfive of a covenant of grace, where
Chrifl and all the bleflings of his purchafe are made
over to us, in the form of a teflamentary deed, or
free gift and legacy. I will be their God, and they
Jl:all be my people ; I will take away the jlony heart-, I
willfprinklethcmwithcleanwafer,^c. In thefeand the
like abfolute and unlimited promifes, the grace and
favour of God in a redeemer, comes to every man's
door, be v/ho or v/hat he will, and by thefe great
and precious promifes, we muft receive Chrifl, and
apply him in a fuitablenefs to our fouls need, or pc-
rifh for ever. And to refufe Chrifl and his falva-
tion, tendered in the word of grace, under this pre-
text, that we are great finners, is all one, as if a
traitor fhould refufe his prince's pardon, becaufe he
has been in arms againfl him ; or as if one fhould
refufe to accept of a free difcharge, becaufe he is
a bankrupt, drowned in debt.

M 4 5//'/)',

f68 Unheiief arruigned

^thl)\ A fecret jealoufy, as if God were not in
good earneft with us, when he offers Chrift and his
Salvation to us, in the gofpel. I am afraid that this
lies at bottom with many ; they do not really be-
lieve that God is willing to beftow his Chrift, and
falvation through him, upon them, though he be
every day calling, commanding, befeeching and
intreating them to embrace him. But lirs, what
eife is this, but to charge God with treacheiy and
dinngenuity ; as if he faid one thing in his word,
and intended another in his heart ? God fays, He is
91 ot willifig that yau fboidd ferijh : yea, hefwearsby
his life, that he has no pleafure in your death ;
but rather, that you turn unto him, through a re-
deemer, and live : and yet, to think or fay, that
he is not in good earneft j what elfe is this but to
make God a lyar ? Yea, to charge him with per-
jury : and what an infufferable affront is this unto
a God of truth, for whom it is impoflible to lye ?
V/e cannot offer a greater indignity unto a man
than tQ call him a lyar 3 yea, if we but infinuate
a jealoufy pf his veracity and ingenuity, it is
enough to exafperate and enrage his fpirits ; for
jealoufy^ fays Solomon^ is the rage of a man : and
how then fhall we imagine that God will fit with
it ? O Sirs be perfwaded that God fpeaks the truth
in his heart ; his words of 2:race and truth in the
fcripture, are the fweet pidure of his thoughts :
and therefore, beware of harbouring the leaft jea-
loufy in your hearts, as if he were not in good
carneft, when he offers his Chrift to you, and
commands you to receive him and his whole
falvation.

6thly, People, their finding peace and eafe in
fome one thing or other on this fide Chrift, is
another great caufe of unbelief. Perhaps the man

has

and condemned, 169

has had fome challenges and wakenings ; there-
upon he falls to his prayers, vows, promifes and
refolutions, to be a better man in time coming,
and better fervant to God ; upon this he finds quiet
and eafe, and there he refts, witliout ev<.r coming
to the blood of the lamb. But, fns, as fure as
God lives, this is but a refuge of lyes, a liiding-
placc which the hail ft.mll fweep away. Do not
miilake me, I am not difluading you from duties ;
but only perfwading you, not to reft in your du-
ties : let duties be as waggons to carry your fouls
to Chrift, who is the e7id of the law^ and of all
the duties it enjoins ; for when you reft in them as
a righteoufnefs or ground of acceptance before
God, tliey become a bar in the way of your com-
ing to Chrift, and they prove foul damning and
ruining things, inftead of being the caufes or
means of falvation, and therefore go a little fur-
ther than thefe ; do not make a plaift."r of them to
heal the wound of confcience ; for if your heal-
ing do not come from under the wings of the forti,
of righteoufnefs, the wound will fefter, and prove
deadly in the iifue. Let him only be the well-
fpring of your comfort, who is the ccnfolation of
Ifrael, and in whom all our well-fprings are. We
read of the brook Cherith^ which fupplied the pro-
phet Elijah with water for a time ; but at length
the brook dried up, and he had periflied, unlefs
God had fuftained him another way, i Kings xvii.
9. Juft fo is it with many, they lye for a long
time by the brooks of their own duties j and find-
ing fome fort of eafe and comfort their confcience
is pacified, and they rejoice, becaufe they think
God will pity and fave them while they have done
as well as they can : but depend on it, thefe brooks
vvill dry up, and your fouls will ftarve and perifh

for

■lyo Unbelief arratgjud

fcr ever, if you do not, by faith, come to the
fountain opened in the houfe of David, and draw
•water out of tJois well of falvation. O come, firs,
to . this open and overflov/ing fountain ; whofoever
will, let him come, and drink of the waters of life
freely 'y here you fliall find water in the time of
the greateft drought, Ifa. xli. 14. When the poor
and need.y feck ivater, in duties, ordinances and cre-
ated comforts, and there is none, and their tonme
faileth for thirf, I the Lord "will hear, I the God of
Jacob iciil not rejedi them, Jer. xvii. 7, 8. Blefjed
is the i7ian that triifieth in the Lord, whofe hope the
Lord is : for he fall be as a tree planted by the wa-
ters, and fall not fee when drought cometh j his leaf
fall be gi'een, ajid he fall not be careful in the year
-ivf drought. So then beware of reiling on this
-iide of' Chrift. Many other caufes of unbelief
'might be condefcencied upon, but I wave them at
prefent.

The fcond general head propofed, was, to give
feme account of the condemnatory fentence palTed
a,?ainfl: this crime of unbelief. The unbeliever is
condemned already. Here I fliall, (i.) Prove, that
fentence is paft. (2.) Shev/ in what courts it is
pall:. ■ (3.) Give fome qualities of the fentence.

I ft, I would prove that fentence is paft againfl
the- unbeliever. I need not fland to prove this,
when it lies fo plain and clear in the text ; Re that
helieveth not is condemned already. The word ren-
dred 'io condemn, is foreniick, borrowed from courts
" of judgment, where the malefactor or guilty per-
fon is arraigned and ind!d:ed before the judge, his
crime made legally evident, and then fentence
pail againfl him, according to the nature and de-
merit of his crime : fo here the unbeliever is, as it
• were arraigned before the bar of divine juftice ;

procefs

and condemned, l y i

proccfs is laid againil him, and he found rruilty of
the violation of the royal law of heaven, and of
contemning the glorious remedy provided and of-
fered in the gofpel -, and thereupon fentence goes
forth againft him, from the mouth of the great
jud^e, who hath juftice and judgment for the
habitation of his throne. This man believes not
in my Son, and therefore I condemn him to death
everlafting : he rejeds the Saviour of finners, and
therefore let him die in his fins ; he would needs
feek life by the law as a covenant, and therefore
let the curfe of that covenant lie on him for ever.
See to the fame purpofe, the lafl verfe of this
chapter, He that believes not in the Son, Jhall not fee
life ; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

idly, I come to tell you in what courts the un-
believer is condemned, i . Then, he is already con-
demned in the court of the lav/, as a covenant,
by which he is leeking to be juftified and faved,
Kom. iii. 19. Now we know that what things foever
the law faith, it faith to them who are under the
law, that every mouth may be Jiopped, and all the
world become guilty before God. Every unbeliever
is upon a law-bottom, he is feeking falvation and
righteoufnefs by the w^orks of the law, by fome
good thing or other, which he apprehends to be
in him, or done by him, or which he hopes to
do : but I may fay to you, who are of this law-
fpirit, as Chrift faid to the felf-righteous pharifees,
Jo. V. 4. I'hej'e is one that accufeth you, even Mofes
in whom ye trufi 5 where, by Mofes we muft un-
derftand the law of Mcfes, ' The fame fay I to
you, the law accufeth and condemneth, it is de-
nouncing its heavy anathemas againfl you, whib
you cleave to it as a covenant ; j4s many as arc
of the law, are under the curje 5 as it is written,

curfed

172 Unbelief arraigned

ctirfedh e^oery one that conthmeth not in all things ivrit-
ten in the book of the law to do them. While you are out
of Chrift, cleaving to the law as a husband, it lays
you under the curfe for every and the leaft failure
in obedience. O lirs, the vengeance of heaven
lies upon you, while you are under the power of
unbelief; you are curfed in your basket and ilore,
in foul and body, and all that belongs to you ;
and the curfe not being caufelefs, it iliall come;
yea it cleaves to you, and will cleave to you for
ever, unlefs by faith, you flee. to him who hath
redeemed us from the. curfe of the law, being
made a curfe for us.

2. The Unbeliever is already condemned in the
gofpel-court. Now don't miftake this way of
Ipeaking, as if when I fpeak of the gofpel-court,
I meant, as if the gofpel, fl:ri(5tly confidered, con-
demned any man ; the gofpel, like its glorious au-
thor, comes not into the world to condemn the
world, but that the world through it may be fa-
ved : neither do I mean, as if there were new
precepts and penalties in the gofpel, confidered in
a ilrid: fenfe, which were never found in the book
or court of the law. This is an affertion which
has laid the foundation for a train of damnable
and foul-ruining errors ; as of the Antinomian er-
ror, in difcarding the whole moral law as a rule of
obedience under the gofpel ; the Baxterian error,
of an evangelical righteoufnefs different from the
imputed righteoufnefs of Chrift ; the Pelagian and
Ai'minian error, of a fufhcient grace given to eve-
ry man that hears the gofpel, to believe and repent
by his own jpower. But when I fpeak of the un-
believer's being condemned in the court of the
gofpel, my meaning is, that the fentence pafled
againft him in the court of the law, is aggravated

and

and condemned^ 173

and heightened by his contempt of gofpel-grace.
All I intend by it, is comprifed in that awful
word, Heb, ii. 3. How jhall we efcape, if we neg^
kSf fo great a fahatio7if Or that, Heb. x. 28, 29.
He that defpifed Mofes'^ law^ died withut mercy un^
der two or th'ee witnejfes : of bow much forer pu-
?nfiment fuppofe ye, fiall he be thought worthy, who
bath trodden under foot the Son of God, and account^
ed the blood of the covenant wherewith he was fan£ii^
Jied an unholy thing,

3. The unbehever is condemned ah'eady in the
court of his own confcience. Confcience is God's
deputy and vicegerent ; and in the name and au-
thority of the God of heaven, it keeps a court in
every man's breaft, and either approves or con^
demns, accufeth or excufeth, according to the
views and uptakings that it hath of the holy law
of God. When the law is only known by con-
fcience in the letter of it, it condemns only for fins
which lie againft the letter of the law : but when
confcience comes to be irradiated and initru(5ted
by the fpirit of God, in the fpirituality and extent
of the law ; then it condems even for thefe fpiri-
tual wickednelTes, that are of a more refined na-
ture, and which lodge in the high places of the
foul ; of which kind is the fin of unbelief. A
natural confcience, even though aflifted by exter-
nal revelation, will fmite a man for a thoufand
fins, before it give him one fingle check for his
unbelief; this feems to be the peculiar province of
the fpirit of God, to Convince the world of fin, be-
caufe they believe not in Chrifi, John x\4. 8, 9. And
O ! When once confcience by the direction of
the fpirit begins to fmite for this fin of unbelief,
there is no fin in the world that appears in fuch a
formidable hew; and there is no fin that the worm

174 Unbelief arraigned

of confdence will gnaw a man fo much for in
hell through eternity, than that he had a Saviour
in his offer, and yet refufed him. In a word, let
a man be never fo moral and fober, let him have
never fo much feeming peace and quiet, yet he
llill carries an evil confcience in his breaft, till by
faith he come to get his heart fprinkled from an
evil confcience by the blood of fprinkling, Heb*
-x, 23. ^ ^

4. The unbeliever is already condemned in the
court of the church 3 or, may I call it, in the mini-
ilerial court. Minifters by virtue of the commit
fion they have received from their great lord and
n^after, muft go and p7'each the gofpel to every crea-
ture. And having ad:ed according to their com-
miffion, they mufl in the fame authority, declare^
that he who believes this gofpel, fhall be faved -, he
who believeth not, ihall be damned. Indeed this
miniilerial fentence is but little regarded by a pro-
fane and fecure world, who are ready to fay or
think, that our words are but wind : but whether
finners hear or forbear, we muft by our commif^
fion, declare to the righteous or believer, it fliall
be well with him ; But wo to the wicked, it fiall
be Hi with him ; the reward of his hands fiall be
given him. And when this minifterial fentence,
whether dodrinal or judicial, is faithfully pro-
nounced, whatever men may think of it, it is ra-
tified in heaven, Matt. xvi. 19. JVhatfoever ye fhall
bind on earth, fiall be bound in heaven ; and wloatfo^
ever ye fhall loofe on earth, fiall be loofed in heaven.

5. The unbeliever is condemned in the court of
the great God. It is true, every one of thefe-
courts I have mentioned is his j he fits as fupreme
judge in each of them, but they are only his infc^
rior courts -, and while the fmner's fentence is ifi

dependence

and condemned, 175

dependence before them, there is ftill acccfs for an
appeal by faith unto a tiironc of grace or mercy-
feat. But when once a man comes to be perfo-^
nally fifted before the bar of God at death or judg-
ment, no further appeal can be admitted ; the
man ; then goes out of mercy's reach j he that
made him isoill ka''oe no mercy upon him ; the things
that belonged to his peace ^ are tlien for ever hid from
his eyes. O that an unbeUeving world may lay
this to heart in time, before their cafe become ab-
folutely hopelefs and helplefs ! Corifider this^ ye
that forget God, lefi he tear yon in pieces, ivhen there
is none to deliver.

3^/y, I com.e to give you a few qualities of
this fentence of condemnation paft againil the
unbelieving fmner. (i.) It is a moil mature
and deliberate fentence j the fentence is well
advifed and ripened, before it be pronounced
or executed, ^he Lord is a God of judgment, and
can do nothin? that is radi or precipitant. T^hc
Lord is a God of knoizledge, and by him anions are
iseei'fhed', he Dcnders the crime, before he fen-
tence the crirninal. It v/as refolved among the
councils of heaven, from all eternity, that every
unbelieving finner fhouid be condemned to the lake
of fire and britnfione, "juhich is the feccjid death. Rev.
xxi. ,8. (2.) It is a mofh righteous fentence, as will
appear v/hen we come to fpeak of the grounds
upon which it proceeds. O Sirs, God will be clear
when he judges ; yea, fo clear, tliat the guilty
criminal before all be done, will be made to fub-
fcribe unto the equity of the (entence, and ov/n
that his blood is upon his own head. As juPtice
fatisfied and judgment executed upon the furety, is
the foundation of a throne of o;race, where ti\z bc.li&-
ving finncr is acquitted and abfolved.; fo vindidbve
juilice and judgment, tcrniinating en the pcribn ot

tT-> Ok

xy6 Unbelief arraigned

the linner, Is the habitation of the throne of juftice,
where the unbeliever is condemned. (3.) It is a
moft awful and terrible fentence, and it cannot be
otherwife, for it is pronounced by a terrible judge.
With God is terrible majejiy. He cutteth off the
fpirits of princes, and is terrible to the kings of the
the earth. The fentence goes forth from a terrible
tribunal, a bench clothed with red vengeance.
The nature of the fentence itfelf is terrible, for it
is a fentence of condemnation. To be condemned
to a natural or bodily death, is terrible : but to be
condemned to eternal death ; to be piinijhed 'with
e^erlajling dejlriiSlion^ from the prejence of the Lordi
from^ or by the glory of his po^er -, has a terror in it^
that furpailes expreffion and imagination. (4.)
When the fentence comes to be uttered by God a-
gainft the unbeliever, perfonally compearing be-
fore his tribunal, upon the back of death j it be-
comes an irrevocable fentence, which fliall never
be repealed, through eternity : it {lands ratified for
ever j as the tree falls, fo will it lye ; for God's
loving-kindnefs is not declared in the grave, nor his
faithfulnefs in the land of darknefs.

The third thing in the method was, to enquire
into the grounds of this condemnatory fentence ;
and, among many others, I fhall inftance in tlie
few following,

I/?, The unbeliever is condemned already, becaufe,
by his unbelief he has offered the highefl indig-
nity to a trinity of perfons in the glorious Godhead,
that a creature is capable of. He defpifes the love
of the father, who, out of his good- will and kind-
nefs to a loft world, gave his only begotten Son ;
, he gives him to be incarnate j he gives him unto
death, and gives hitn and his whole purchafe In
the revelation of the gofpel j 'That whofoever be-
lieves in hiniy may not perifi^ hit have everlqfti?ig

lifei

and condemned, 177

life^ But now the unbeliever he defpiies all the
riches of this grace and love, and pra<ftically fays,
that the unfpeakable gift of God is not v/orthy to
be taken up at his foot. And, as he deipifcs the
love of the Father, fo he tramples upon tne blood
of the Son, as if it were an unholy thing. He fays
upon the matter, that Chrill ihed hrs blood in -vain 5
hence unbelievers are faid to crucify the Son of
God afreili -y they re-ad: the bloody tragedy that
was once ad:ed upon mount Calvary : and, upon
the fame account, the unbelieving com.municant
is faid to be guilty of the body and blood of the
Lord. Again, the unbelieving linner, he fins a-
gainft the Holy Ghoft. I do not mean that every
unbeliever is guilty of the unpardonable fin, for
then we needed not preach the gofpel to them.
But I mean, that every unbeliever, in rejedting
Chrift, he runs dired:ly crofs to the work and of-
fice of the fpirit in the ceconomy of redemption.
It is the office of the fpirit to convince the world
of fin, becaufe they believe not in Chrift : but the
man is fo far from owning this, that he pradtically
denies unbelief to be any fin at all. It is the office
of the fpirit to convhice of righteouf?iefs, (z. e.) of
the neceffity and excellency of the righteoufnefs of
Chrift for juftification : but the unbeliever he goes
about to efi:abliffi a righteoufnefs of his own, and
will not fubmit to this righteoufnefs of God. It is
the office of the fpirit to glorify ChriJ}, to take the
things of Chrift, and fhew them unto us : but the
unbeliever upon the matter fays, "There is no form
nor comelinefs in him^ why heficuldbe defred. Thus,
I fay, the unbeliever affronts a whole trinity, Fa-'
ther. Son, and Holy Ghoft j and therefore he is
condemned already.

I'y 8 Uithelief arraigned

■2dl)\ The unbeliever is condemned already, be-
caufe he has injured all the glorious attributes and
perfediions of the divine nature : he rebels againil
awful and adorable majefty and fovereignty. The
authority of God, is in a peculiar manner interpo-
fed in the command of believing : God fpcaks of
this command, as if he had never, given another
to the fons of men, i yoh?! iii. 23. Now the un-
believer he flies in the face of all this authority,
faying, with proud Pharaoh^ V/ho is the Lord, that
I JJjoidd obey hhn f Let the Almighty depart from
me, for I defire not the knowledge of his ways.
Again the man makes a mock of the mafler piece
of infinite wifdom, as tho' it were nothing but
arrant folly. The device of falvation through a
redeemer, is. The wifdom of God in a myjiery^ it is
hidden ivifdo7n : but the unbeliever, with the Greeks^ ■
calls it foolifhnefs : and, with the Athenians^ look
on it as meer babling, when it is brought out in
a gofpel-revelation. The unbeliever he alfo fpurns
againft the bowels of infinite and amazing love ;
yea, as it were, runs a fpear into the bowels of a
compaffionate God, which are fending out a found
after him, O turn ye ^ turn ye ^ why will ye die '^ As
I live^ 1 have no pleafiire in your death. He dares
and challenges omnipotency to do its worft, while
he refufes to take fancSluary in Chrifl:, and to turn
into the ftrong hold, where he may be flieltered
from the ftorm, wind and tempefl of divine venge-
ance. He laughs at the fliaking of God's fpear,
and the whetting of his glittering fword. He gives
the lye alfo to the veracity of God, i fohn v. 10.
He that beliroes not, hath made God a lyar : not as if
he could do fo indeed j for God will be true, and
every man a lyar ; but the unbeliever does ivhat
he. can to make God alycir: this is the language

t>f his fin, God is a lyar, he is not to be truded,
there is no truth in his words. Which is blafphe-
my in the highefl degree. Thus, I fay, the un-
beheving linner, he injures God in all his glorious
excellencies : and, is it any v/onder then tho' he
be condemned already ?

^iifyy Another ground of this awful fentence, is,
becaufe the man counteracts, and runs dire^ly
crofs to the moft glorious deftgns that ever God
had in view j I mean, his defigns in the work of
redemption thro' Chriil. I (hall only clear this,
in two or three inftances, (i.) God's defign in re-
demption, was the illuftration and manifeftation
of his own glorious excellencies, which were fuU
bed or obfcured by the fin of man : but the unbe-
liever, as was ihev/ed jufl now, does his uttermofl
to darken and affront every one of them. (2.)
God's defign is, that in all things Chriil fiiould
have the preheminency j that he fliould have a
name above every name, Tbat at the name of
yefus every knee foould bow. But now the unbe-
liever, like the devil, being lifted up with pride,
refufes to bow or fubmit to the name, Jehovah
'Tzidkenii^ 'The Lord our righteotifnefs, Jer. xxiii* 6.
Rom. X. 3. He refufes to own or bow unto that
royal name written upon his thigh and veflure,
Rev. xix. 16. The King of Ki figs, and Lord of
Lords. He joins in a confederacy with thofe who
refufe to ftoop unto his royal fceptre, faying, Let us
break his bands, and cafi away his cords from us, Pfal.
ii. 2. (3.) God's delign in redemption is, that grace
only (hould reign, and that all ground of boafling
and gloriation fl:iould be cut oif from man for ever,
fo as he that giorieth may glory only in the Lord.
But nov/ the unbeliever's language is, not grace,
but felf fliall reign. He choofes rather to be damn'd

N 2 for

1 8o Unbelief arraigned

for ever, than fubmit to grace's government, reign-
ing through righteoufnefs to etej'nal life^ by 'Jejm Chrifi
our Lord. What, fays the man, will not God be
f leafed iiith thoufands of rams^ &c ? If God will
give him life for fome equivalent, fome good thing
wrought in him or by him, he is content : but to
take it for nothing, as the gift of free grace thro'
Jefus Chrift our Lord j this is too low a bargain
for his proud heart to ftoop to. And for this pride
of his heart which makes him to run crofs unto
God's glorious delign in redemption, he is con-
demned already.

4^^/y, He is condemned already, becaufe his fin
(I mean, his unbelief) is of a more criminal na-
ture, in God's reckoning, than any other fin that
can be named or thought upon. The fin of Adam^
in eating the forbidden fruit, was a mofl aggravated
crime : for a creature newly dropped out of his
creator's fingers, a creature dignified with the live-
ly image of God upon him, exalted unto fovereign-
ty over this lower world, having all things put
under his feet ; I fay, for fuch a creature, upon a
flender temptation, to turn his back on God, and
cafl himfelf into the devil's arms, to ruin himfelf
and the^ whole tribe of mankind at one blow ; this
no doubt was a mofl crying fin : but yet the fin
of unbelief far furpafTes it; for, our firfl parents
they finned only againfl God as a creator, but
the unbeliever fins againfl him as a redeemer,
confequently he fins againfl more love than they
could fin againfl, before the revelation of Chrifi.
Again, unbelief is more criminal than the fin of
the y^ici in crucifying of the Lord of glory : they
crucified him, when vailed and difguifed under
the form of a fervant ; but the unbeliever crucifies
him upon his throne, when the evidences of his

being

and condemned. ^^ 1 8 1

being the true Mcjjiah are compleated by his re-
furredion from the dead, Rom. i. 4. It would be a
crime of a far more capital nature, to maltreat a
king fitting on the throne, with all his nobles a-
bout him, than to maltreat him when under a
difguife, fitting upon the dunghill with a company
of beggars about him ; yet the former is tlie cafe
with the unbeliever. Again, unbelief is worfe
than the fm of Sodofu^ which provoked God to
rain hell out of heaven upon its inhabitants. Chrifl
tells us, That Sodom and Gomorrah will have a cold
hell in comparifon of thefe who have had the offers
of a Saviour in the gofpel, and yet have rejed:ed
him. Matt. xi. 24. It fiall be more tolerable for
Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of judgment^ than
for Chorazin, Bethfaida, Capernaum, and other
cities, where Chrifl had preached. Again, all the
fins of the blinded nations are not comparable ta
the fin of unbelief: we have a black roll of their
fins, Rom. i. towards the clofe : but yet Chrifl
fpeaks of them as no fins, in comparifon of the
fin of thofe who remain in unbelief, under the
drop of the gofpel j If I had not come andjpoken nn--
to them they had had NO SINj but now they have
no cloke for their fn. Witchcraft is a very mon-
ftrous fin J for a man or woman to enter into com-
pact with the devil, and give themfelves foul and
body to be his for ever : and yet the unbeliever he
does the fame upon the matter ; for he is in league
with hell, and with death is he at an agreement.
I remember, the rebellion of Said againfl the ex-
prefs command of God, ordering him utterly to
deflroy the Amalekites^ is compared tp the lin q£
witchcraft, i Sam. xv. 23. Now the ' unbeliever
(as was faid) he rebels againfl the greateft com-
mand that was ever iffued out from the throne of

N 3 the

1 8 2 Unbelief arraigned

the Majefty on high. I niall only add, that un-
belief is a fin attended with aggravations which are
not to be found in the fin of devils. The devil
never rejed:ed a Saviour, as the unbeliever does 5
ibr, He took not on him the nature of angels, but the
ydWc/" Abraham. Some think, that the devil, and
his angels who joined him, were caft out of hea-
ven for refufing to be fubjed: to God in man's na-
ture : when intimation of this deiign was made in
heaven, no doubt he would have been well enough
pleafed to fubjed himfelf to God, manifefting him-
felf in the nature of angels ; but, to be fubjed: to
God manifefled in the flefh, he looked upon it as a
difparagement. But the unbeliever he rejects God
appearing in his own nature, faying, Wc ivill not
have this man to rule over us. Is it any wonder then,
tho' the unbeliever be condemxued already ?

^thh. He is condemned already, becaufe unbe-
lief is the fpring and ringleader of all other fin.
Every fin is a turning away fi'om the living God ;
and whence comes this, but from an evil heart of
unbelief? Heb. iii. 12. The name of the fin of
unbelief may be Gad^ for a troop doth follow it.
Why are men proud ? Why are their hearts lifted
up within them, as if they were rich, and in-
creafed with goods, and flood in need of nothing ?
Why, the reafon is, they do not believe the ver-
did: of the fpirit of God concerning them ; that
they are indeed wretched, miferable, blind, and
poor and naked. Why are men covetous ? Why
have they the world fet in their hearts ? but be-
caufe they do not believe, that Chrifl: is a better
good than this world, and the things of it. Why
are men uncliaritable to the poor ? but becaufe
they do not believe that what is given to the poor
is lent to the Lord, and that he v;ill pay it again.

Wliy

and co77clemned, 183

Why are men fecure in a way of fin, crying, peace,
peace ? but becaufe they do not believe tliat wrath
and deftruftion from the Lord is purfuing them.
Why is the blefTed bible fo much flighted and neg-
lected by many, like an almanack out of date ?
but becaufe they do not believe it to be the word
of God, or that eternal life is to be found therein.
Why do people generally hear us, who are mini-
fters, preaching the everlafhing gofpel, with fuch
wandering hearts and carelefs ears ? but becaufe
they do not believe that we are ambalTadors for
Chrift, and that God doth befeech them by us to
be reconciled unto him. Why do many live in the
negled: of prayer ? Why are they fo formal, heart-
lefs and carelefs in prayer ? but becaufe they do
not believe God to be the hearer of prayers. Why
are there fo many hypocrites contenting themfelves
with a fhew of religion ? but becaufe they do not
believe there is a reality in religion, and that God
fearches the heart, and tries the reins. Why do
men remain under the power of natural enmity ?
but becaufe they do not believe that God is love,
I John iv. 16. and that, through the ranfom he
hath found, he bears a hearty good-will towards
them, Ezek. xxxiii. 1 1. Whence comes that flood
of prophanity, which, like Jordan^ has over-run
all banks and bounds in our day, fuch as curfing;
fwearing, cheating, lying, fabbath-breaking, theft,
robberies, forgeries, and the like abominations?
Why, the plain reafon is, they do not believe there
is a God, or that ever they fliall ftand before his
tribunal, to anfwer for the deeds done in the body.
The plain language of the heart of unbelief is.
The Lord doth not fee ^ neither doth the God of Jacob
regard', and therefore they give themfelves loofe
reins in a way of fm,

N 4 To

1 84 U?2belief arraigned

To conclude this head, unbelief is the principal
pillar of the devil's kingdom in the world, and in
the foul of man. Let this pillar be but broken,
and all his ftrong holds go to ruin. Faith is the ra-
dical grace, which gives life and fpirit to all the o-
ther graces j it is the fpring of all true gofpel-
obedience, therefore called the obedience of faith :
fo, in like manner, unbelief is the radical fin,
which gives life and fpirit unto all vicious habits
and ads of difobedience in the life and conver-
fation. Faith is a fliield that beats back the fiery-
darts of fatan : fo unbelief is a fhield that beats
back all the good motions of the fpirit of God.
Faith is the vid:ory whereby we overcome the
world : unbelief is the vidiory whereby the world
overcomes us. After all, is it any wonder though
fuch a fevere fentence pafs againft the unbelieving
finner, as that in my text ? He that believes not^ is
condemned already.

The fourth and la/l thing propofed, was the ap-
plication, w^hich I lliall endeavour to difcufs in a
few inferences.

Inforence firjl. See hence a very fufficient rea-
fon, why miniflers of the gofpel do harp fo much
upon the fubjedt of faith or believing. Why, it is
for unbelief that linners are condemned already ;
and there is no way to free them from this fentence,
but by bringing them to believe in the Son of God,
Unbelief is the main pillar of the devil's kingdom ;
and therefore the main batteries of the gofpel mull
be raifed againfl it. It is but at beft a foolifli ig-
norant cavil of fome againft miniflers. Why fo
much infifting upon faith ! are not other things as
neceffary to be preached ? I anfwer, Other things
are neceffary in their own place ; but faith or be-
lieving in the firft place 5 and, till wx bring you to

believe,

and cojidemned, 185

believe, we do nothing at all, this being the lay-
ing the foundation of all religion : and, you know,
it is foolifli to think or fpeak of rearing up a fu-
perllruifture till the foundation be once laid. Can
we ever make you accepted of God, without faith
in his Son ? No fure, Without faith it is impojjible to
pleafe him. And feeing we: are jujiijied by fait by
without the works of the law, can we ever make you
the members of Chrifl, without faith? No, this
is the very bond of the foul's union with him ;
Chrift dvv^ells in our hearts by faith. Can we ever
make you the children of God, who are by na-
ture the children of wrath without faith ? Nd, We
are the children of God by faith in Chriji Jefus. It is
to them who receive him, that he gives power or
privilege to become the fens of God, John i. 12. Let
us prefs and inculcate the duties of holinefs, with
never fuch flourifliing harangues of rhetorick : we
fliall never make you holy, till we once land you
in Chrifl by faith, he being the fountain and root
of holinefs ; therefore faid to" be made of God wito
us fanBif cation. In one word, whatever duties we
inculcate upon you, we only call you to build
caftles in the air, to build a tower without a bot-
tom, unlefs we firll bring you to Chrifl by that
faith which is of God's operation.

Inference fecond. See hence the miferable and
mournful condition of the generality of gofpel-
hearers : they are a company of condemjied men,
under fentence of death. O that God may dart
home an arrow of convidion on the hearts of un-
believing finners, and perfuade them of the truth
of my dodrine. That every unbeliever is conw
demned already ! I am fure it is true, whether you
believe it or not ; and you fhall find it to be fo,
fooner or later. O firs 1 here is a hand-writing a-

gainft

1 8 6 Unbelief arraigned

gainfl.yoii, that may make the joints of your
loins to loofe, and your knees to fmite one againit
another ; He that believer not^ is condemned already.
And that I may, if polTible, awaken you to fome
fcrious thoughts and concern about this matter -,
will you conlidcr whofe fentence it is r It is none
other than God's fentence of condemnation. It is
fomewhat awful and terrible, to be arraigned and
condemned at the bar of man j what then mud it
be to be condemned at Jehovah's bar : The judge
is omnifcient ; his eyes are as a flame of fire j he
fetteth our fecrct fins in the lig;ht of his counte-
nance, fo that the crime cannot be concealed from
him -y his juftice is unbyafled j his eye cannot bs
blii:ided with bribes j the arm of his power cannot
be flayed from the execution of the fentence. What
a fearful thing is it to fall into the hands of this li-
ving God ? He is indeed a confuming fire. The
folemnity of the bench adds terror to the criminal ,
and you may fee with what folemnity the bench is
to be reared, before which you and I muft fland
ere long. Matt. xxv. 31. Wljen the Son of man
ftmll come in his glory ^ and all the holy angels with him ;
then f,:all he fit upon the throfie of his glory. O !
whither will the unbeliever fly for help? or
where will he leave his glory at that day ? If hills
and mountains could cover him, he would choofe
far rather to be buried under them, than appear
before the face of the lamb, when he comes to
ride his circuit, as the univerfal judge of all the
earth. You may read your doom, Matt, xxv.' 41.
"Depart from me., ye ciirfed, into everlafing fire., pre-
pared for the devil and his angels. The fentence be-
ing pafl, there can be no flop in the execution -,
the judge will have his ofiicers at hand, an innu-
merable hofl of angels, all ready for this fervice :

thefe

and condemned, 187

thefe reapers fliall gather the tares, bind them in
bundles, and burn them. The judge will ftand
and fee the fentence execute before his face, fay-
ins;, Bring forth thefe mine enemies^ who would not
that I JJ:ould reign over them^ and Jlay them before
me, Luke xix. 27. Among all the innumerable
multitudes of angels, men and devils, who fliall
be fpectators of the righteous execution, there
fliall be no eye to pity ; and the reafon is, becaufe
the finner wilfully, through unbelief, flighted Chrifl
the only Saviour, and refufed to accept of pardon
and redemption through his blood. Who will pi-
ty the traitor, who dies for his treafon, rejed;ing
his prince's pardon prefented to him to the laft ?
Chrift would have gathered you, as the hen ga-
thers her chickens under her wings, and ye would
not J and therefore ye mufl: die without pity, and
without remedy.

Inference third. See hence how fitly the gofpel
is called a joyful found, Ffal. Ixxxix. 15. Bleffcd
are the people that know the joy fid found. Among o-
ther reafons why it gets that denomination, this is
none of the leafl j it brings a proclamation of life
to the fons of death, a found of liberty to the cap-
tive, and of pardon to the poor finner, condemned
already. One would think, that the very hint
of a pardon to a condemned criminal, would make
his heart to leap within him for joy : but alas ! Sad
experience tells us, that the gofpel, which brings
fuch glad tidings of great joy to condemned finners,
meets with a very cool reception from the genera-
lity, Ifa.. liii. I. Who hath believed our report ?
and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?

Inference fourth . See hence how ill-grounded the
joy and triumph of a chrifllefs unbelieving world
is. We would think that man befide him.felf, who

being

1 88 Unl?elief arraigned

being under fentence of death, and to be brought forth
in a little fpace unto the place of execution, would
fpend any little time he has, in eating, drinking,
dancing and revelling : yet this is the very cafe v/ith
the generality 5 they take up the timbrel and harp,
rejoice at the found of the organ j they fpend their
days in wealth and cafe, without ever thinking,
that they are condemned already by the great God.
All I iliall fay, to flop your carreer at prefent, is
this; the triumphing of the unbelieving linner is
fliort, and his joy is for a moment. You may
indeed kifidle a fire ^ a?idcompafs yowfches about idth
fparks : but this fi: all yc hai:e of the Lord's hand^ se
Jhall lye down in for row, Ifa. 1. 10.

Inference fifth. See hence, how much we are
obliged to Chrift, who came to fave us from this
heavy fentence of death we were under ; he came
nof into the worlds to condetjin the world, but that the
world through hiin jnight be fa^'ced. He himfelf was
condemned, that we might be acquitted. Judg-
ment palTed upon him, that it might not pafs
againft us. He was made a curfe, to redeem us
from the curfe of the law. When Adam had en-
tailed death and condemnation upon us, and all
his pofierity > Chriil comes, and by his obedience
unto death, cuts of that intail, procuring our jufti-
fiCation. As by the offence of one, judgment came
upon all men, to condemnation ; fo by the righteoufiiefs
of one, the free gift came upon all, to the jufiification
of life, Rom. vi. 18. O believer, acknowledge
thy obligations to the Son of God ; for, if he, as
thy farety had not paid thy debt, thou hadfl; been
condemned to the prifon of hell for it, for ever.

Inference fixth. See hence^ that it is every
man's duty and interefl to examine and try, whe-
ther he be under this heavy fentence, vea or not.

and condemned, 189

It is a mirerable thing to be under fentence of
death, and to know nothing of it. Neither will
a man ever feek to be freed from it, till he be
convinced that he is indeed under it. I fliall give
you the few following characters of fuch as are
under fentence of condemnation, (i.) you who
never yet faw yourfelves to be condemned in the
court of the law and confcience for fin, and par-
ticularly for the fin of unbelief, you are furely un-
der fentence of death to this day ; for, the firfl
work of the fpirit, when he comes to liberate a
poor foul from condemnation, is to convince the
isoorld of fin j of fin, becaufe they believe not ia -
him, John xvi. 8, 9. (2.) You whofe minds are
fo blinded with ignorance and prejudice againft
Chrift, that you can fee no form or comelinefs in
him, notwithftanding of the bright difplays of his
glory that are made to us in the word, If our
gofpel be hid it is hid to them who are lojl^ whom the
god of this world hath blinded j leji the light of the
glorious gofpel of Chrify who is the ijnage of Gody
fiould fjine unto them., 2 Cor. iv. 4, 5. (3.) You
who are yet wedded to the law as a covenant, and
are feeking life and righteoufnefs, by that firll huf-
band ; you are to this moment under the fentence
of death ; for, As many as are of the law, are un-
der the curfe : if you never knew what it is to be
dead to the law by the body of Chrifl, to have
as little hope of life and falvation by the law,» and
its works, as though you had never done any one
duty commanded by the law in your whole life,
you are yet married 'io the law as a husband, con-
fequently under the law's fentence. Yea, I will ad-
venture to fay, that the legalif^, or felf-righteous
perfon, is a flep farther off from heaven and eter-
nal life, than the groffeft of finners ; for piihlica?is

cmd

1 9 o Unbelief' arraigned

and harlots J fays Chrift, fiall enter into the khigilcm
of heaven before you. (4.). You who call off the
obligation of the law as a rule of obedience, un-
der a pretended hope of being faved by grace,
without the works of the law. All prad:ical An-
ti?iomia?iSy who are following the fvving of their
own lufts, are under the po^ver of unbelief, and
confequently condemned already. Away w^ith ly-
ing, fwearing, drinking, whoring believers. Will
you pretend to be the people of a holy God, the
members of a holy Jefus, the federates of a holy
covenant, the heirs of an nn defied inhe?'itance, and
yet wallow in your fins, or yet retain any known
iniquity in your hearts ? No, no. To fuch, not
I, but God himfeif faith. What haft thou to do, to
declare my ftatiites, cr to take my covenant in thy
mouth ; fieing thou hateft injlruclion, and cafts my
counfel behind thy back ^ O firs, they that are dead
to the lav/ as a covenant, they are fo far from
cafting off its obligations as a rule of duty, that
they bind it about them as an ornament, choofing
it for a light to their feet, and a lamp to their
paths. We are not v/ithout law to God, when
under the law to Chrifi:. The law is fo dear and
fweet to a true believer, that it is his meditation
day and night. O how love I thy law! fays T)a^
vid; as if he had faid, I love it fo well, that I
cannot tell how well I love it ; my foul breaketh
for the longing that it hath to thy righteous judg-
ment at all times, Pfalm cxix. 20.

Inference feventh. It is fo, that every unbeliever
is a condemned criminal before God ? O then,
firs, be concerned at your hearts to get rid of that
difmai fentence you are under. V/hat can be
matter of concern, if this be not ? I come in the
name of Gcd to tell ^^ou, that this is not impof^

iible

and condemned, 191

fiblc ; yea, I dare go farther, and tell yon, that, if
you will but Hear, your fouls fiall live, and not
die under that condemnatory fentence which is
gone forth againft you. I dare promife you, not
only a reprieve, but a remiilion j for, thus faith
the great judge, as a reconciled God in Chrifl to
the poor trembling pannel, ftanding condemned
before the bar of his holy law, /, eveji 7, am he
that blotteth out tbi?ie Iniquities for. mine own fake, .
and will remember thy fins no more, Ifa. xliii. 25.
Here is an adt of grace paft at a throne of grace,,
fealcd with the blood of the lamb, publifhed and
proclaimed in the tops of the high places, that-
none may pretend ignorance, and that every con--
dcmned finner may take the benefit thereof, and.
come in upon the king's royal indemnity, granted,
upon the fatifad:ion made to juftice by his eternal,
fon. O then, firs. Hear, and' your fouls f: all
live, and he will make with ycu. an evcrlafring cove--
7iant, even the fure jneixies of David,. Ifa. Iv. 3. O
earth, earth, , earth, hear this v/ord of the Lord.

I come not to tell you how you may be rich,
great and honourable in the world ; thefe things
are but trifles to people in your circumflances.
Should you come to a condemned man, and talk
to him of riches, honours, crowns, robes, fcep-
ters, kingdom.s ; Alas ! would he be ready to fay,
what are all thefe to me ? I am a poor man, go-
ing into another world within a few hours ; if you
can tell me, how I may fave my life, or how I
may get rid of my fentence, chains, prifon, you
will fay fomething to the purpofe. This is the ve-
ry cafe with thee O finner ; for By the offence of
one, judgment is come upon all nun to condemnation ;
And therefore, O poor criminal, liflen, lend me

a be-

192 Unbelief arraigned

a believing ear for a few moments, and I will tell
thee how infallibly, thou fhalt make thy efcape.

^efi, O may the poor criminal fay, how is
that ? I anfwer I have no advice to give thee but
one ; it is an old advice, a new advice, and the
only advice that can be given while the world
flands ; it is the very fame which Vaiil and Silai
gave to a poor iinner trembling at God's bar, cry-
ing, What fiall I do to be faved ? The plain ad-
vice they gave him, I give this day to you,
j^3}s xvi. 30. Believe in the Loj'd Jefus ChriJ}, and
thcu fialt be faved ; agreeable to which are the
words of Chrifl himfelf in the iirft part of the
verfe where my text lies, He that believes in the
Son of God is not condemned. And 1;. 16. Whofo^
ever believeth in him^ fJjall not perif}.\ but have ever-
lajiing life.

^efi. You advife us to believe in Chrifl 5 but
pray tell us, what it is to believe in him ? You
have the anfwer in your catechifm : to believe is
to receive Chrifi and to refi upon him alojie for fal-
vation, as he is offered to us in the gofpel ; or in
other words, it is to truft and credit him, as the
faviour of finners, with the falvation of thy loft
.foul, upon the warrant of his ov/n call and com-
mand in the word. Chrift's bufinefs and occupa-
tion is, to fave that which was loft : now, you
all know what it is to truft a man in his trade and
occupation ; you who have bufinefs at law, know
what it is to truft your advocates with your moft
valuable concerns, and the whole management of
your caufe depending before the judges : well, in
like manner, to believe, is, upon the credit of
God's teftimony, concerning Chrift in the word,
to truft him as the Saviour of iinners, v/ith the
falvation of thy ov/n foul in particular. This, I

and condefnned. 1 5 5

fay, is the bufinefs, the office and occupation of
Chrift, to fave finners ; and he is fo fond of em-
ployment in his trade of faving, that he fays,
co7jje to me who willy I will in no wife cafi out : and
therefore truft him, in his occupation ; put thy
condemned foul in the hand of the iinner's Sa-
viour ; for that is to believe in him and on him.
O what a happy fuitable meeting is it, v^hen the
finner and the Saviour of finners thus meet toge-
ther ! Some have a notion, when we bid them be-
lieve, we bid them do fome great thing as the
condition of falvation : but this is a miftake j be-
lieving is a refting from works in point of falva-
tion, and a refting on Chrift alone for falvation
from fin, and all the efFeds of it : it is to receive
a falvation already compleated and prepared to
your hand, and brought near to you in the w^ord
of grace. But I muft not ftand further in defcri-
bing faith at prcfent.

^^eji. What influence (may you fay) will our
believing have upon our being delivered from this
condemnatory fentence, we are under ? ^nf. much
every way : for, ( i.) That moment thou believeft,
thou becomeft a member of Chrift, as a new-co-
venant head. While under the power of unbe-
lief, thou art a member of the firft u^Jam^ and
confequently under Adam's covenant, which is a
curfing and condemning covenant to all who are
under it, 'Jiidgrnent being come upon all men to con^
demnation through Adam\ breach of it : but in
believing, thou becomes a member of Ciirift the
fecond Adam^ the head of the new covenant, the
covenant of grace and promife, which contains
no'ching but bleffings to the foul that takes hold of
it, Rom.vm. i. There is therefore 7iow no condemna^
tion to them that are in Chrifi Jefus. It is not faid,

O there

194 Unbelief arraigned

there is nothing culpable or condemnable in the
believer, but there is no condemnation to him :
he is no more liable to the penalties of Adani^ co-
venant ; Chrift, his glorious furety, having endu-
red thefe in his room and ftead ; and it were in-
confident with juftice to demand payment of the
fame debt, both from the furety and principal deb-
tor. (2.) To clear this yet further, the poor foul,
in believing, is married unto a new husband even
Chrift ; and being under his roof, the covert of
his blood and righteoufnefs, the condemning law
can have no adtion againfl it ; this new and bet-
ter husband, having made his fpoufe free indeed^
by the imputation of his law-magnifying righ-
teoufnefs, Kom. vii. 4. Te are dead to the law by
the body of Chriji, (or by the offering of his body
on the crofs) that ye fhould be married to another,
eve?i to him that is raifed from the dead. He does
that for us, which the law could not do, through
the corruption of nature : particularly, condeimis
fn iji the fejl?, that the 7'ighteoiilhefs of the law might
be fulfilled in us. Chrifl is the end of the law for
righteoufnefs to every one that believes. And if
the law have its end, and be fulfilled in the be-
liever by virtue of his union and marriage with
the Son of God, how can he be liable to condem-
nation, or any law-penalties ? (3.) That moment
the condemned finner believes in Chrifl, he is en-
tred heir of a new family, a member of a new
corporation : he is come, not to mount Sinai, but
to mount Zion ; not to the earthly fcrufalem which
is in bondage, but to the heavenly feriifalem which
is free. He is no more a Jlrangcr or foreigner,
hut a fellow citizen with the faints, and of the hcuf-
hold of God. He comes in among the general af-
fembly and church of the firji-born. He becomes

a?id condemned, 195

aA heir of Gody and a joint heir li^ith jefus Chriji ;
and the inheritance is fettled upon him by a char-
ter, which contains no irritant claufes. No, no :
having taken hold of Gcd's covenant by faith, he hath
a name and a place ^within the ivalls of God's houfe,
even an evcrlajiing Jiame which fiall not be cut off.
And therefore muft needs be free from the con-
demnatory fentence he lay under, before he be-
lieved. (4.) That moment you believe, your
caufe is carried into a new court ; I mean, from a
tribunal of juftice, to a mercy-feat : where all the
ads and fentences that pafs, are ad:s of grace and
mercy, ad:s of pardon and acceptance in the beloved*
No fentences of condemnation pafs in the court
of grace 3 no, this is inconfiftent with the nature
of the court. O let every guilty Unner, who finds
himfelf condemned in the court of the law, and
of confcience, carry his caufe by a folemn appeal
unto this court ; for the court is open to all com-
ers, and the Lord merciful and gracious, who fits
upon this throne of grace, receives all appeals that
are made to him, and 'will in no wife cafl out the
finner, nor cafl his appeal over bar. O therefore
let us come with boldnefs unto a throne of grace^ that
we may obtain grace, and find mercy to help us
in time of need.

^eft. But may you fay, if matters flands thus
with a believer, that he cannot fall under the fen-
tence of the law, cannot come into condemna-
tion J then he may live as he lifts. Does not this
doctrine open a wide door for licentloufnefs and
prophanity ? For, if once a man be a believer,
according to this doctrine, he has nothing to fear,
and fo may do what he will. Were it not bet-
ter for fuch minifters to forbear dodtrines, that are
liable to fuch abufe ? I anfwer. (i.) The whole

O 2 council

196 Unbelief arraigned

council of God muft be revealed, and not one jot
of divine truth mull be fuppreffed, tho' a whole
reprobate world fhould break their necks on it,.
by wrefting it to their own deftrudion. The
gofpel will be the favour of death untofome j Chrift
cruciiied will be a ftone of tumbling, and a rock
of offence. But fliall we^ becaufe of this, for-
bear to preach Chrifty and his gofpel I God for-
bid ; we muft not ftarve God's children out of
fear left dogs fnatch at it to their o^vn perdition.
(2.) I own, that a carnal gofpeller, who has
fome fwimming notions of the grace of God in his
head, may abufe the doctrine of the believer's-
freedom from condemnation,, by virtue of his
union with Chrift : But the grace of God in the
heart, teaches the very reverfe of tliis, namely,
to deny all ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, and to
walk foberly, righteouily and godly in this prefent
world. (3.) Tho' the believer be delivered from.
'the law as a eovenanty and its condemnatory
fentence, through Chrift > yet it does not in the
leaft pave the way to licentioufnefs : Becaufe, at
the fame time that he is acquitted from this obhgation
to the law as a covenant, he comes under ftronger
and more powerful ties than ever to yield obedi-
ence to it as a rule of duty.

I Hiall conclude this difcourfe by naming a few
of thefe bonds of obedience, the believer remains
under, even when delivered from condemnation,
(i.) He is ftill under the bond of the royal autho-
rity of the great God, both as a creator and re-
deemer. The authority and obligation of the di-
vine law% can never be diflblved, while God is
God, and the Creature a Creature. (2.) He is
I'lrider the bond of intercft, to obey tlie divine law..

and co?tdemned, i o y

It IS true, his obedience does not give him the title
to the reward of glory 5 it is only the union with
Chrill:, the heir of all things, that gives him this ;
but yet, his own perfonal obedience, is evidential
and declarative of his title through Chrift. And is it
not much for the believer's in tereft, to have his claim
to glory and everlafting life cleared up and made
evident to his own foul? In this i^t I underftand
that word,- Kenj. xxiL 14. BleJJ'ed are they tJj^t do his
£0?m7iandments^ that they may haije right to the t?'£e
of life, and may enter in through the gates into the
city. (3.) He is ftill under the bond of fear, fer^
xxxii. 40- 7 imll put my fear in their heart, and
they fiall not depart from me. This is not a llavifli
fear of hell and vindicftive wrath, for that is in-
conliftent with his freedom from condemnation:
but it is a filial fear of God as a father, flowing
from an affed:ionate regard unto his authority, in-
terpofed in the cammands of the law. Tho' they
be not afraid of being caft into hell ^ yet they fear
him, who is able to aajl foul and body into helL Tho'
they have no reafon tc fear him, as a revenging
and condemning judge 5- yet they have much reafon
to fear him, as a father ly judge, left he niift their
iniquity with the rod, and their tranfgrefjion with
ftripes ; for, pafs who will unpunifhed, they fhall
not pafs : Ton only haroe I known of all the families
of the earth, and therefore will I punijh you for
your iniquities. (4,) He is under the bond of love.
He ftudies to love the Lord his God ¥/ith all his
heart, foul, ftrength and mind; and his love of
God in Chrift, like a ftrong cord, draws him on
in the way of obedience, I drew them with the
cords of love : the love of Chrift conftraifieth me, fays
Paul. This love laid in the believer's heart has
O 3 fuch

1 9 8 Unbelief arraigned

fuch a force and power with it, that 7nany Waters
cmmot quench it^ neither are all foods able to drown
it^ Cant. viii. 7. Rom. viii. 35, 36. (5.) He is
under the bond of gratitude ; being bought with a
price, he Audies to glorify God in foul and body,
which are his. Chrifl having delivered him from
the hand of his enemies^ he ferves the Lord without
fear^ in hcUnefs and nghteoufnefs all the days of his
life. The believer v/hen delivered from the hand
of the condemning law, he fays to Chrift, as the
men of Ifrael did to Gideon^ Judgt^sVm. 22. Thou
haft delivered us from the hand of our enemies^ there-
fore rule thou over us. Suppofe a King fhould
not only pardon a rebel, but reftore him his forfeited
inheritance, advance him to the higheft places of
honour about the throne ; yea, make him his fon,
his heir, and fet him upon the throne with him-
felf J would not that man be under a far greater
obligation to ferve and obey the king, than if he
had never received fuch lingular favours at his
hand ? There is no bond.^.of obedience like the
•bond of gratitude to an infjenuous fpirit. (6.) He
is under the bond of renr wed nature ; the man is
made a partaker of the divine nature, whereby the
life of God, the love of God, and the law of God,
is laid in his very heart ; and this is a mighty bond
to obedience: Heb.vm. 10, I will put my law in
their minds^ and write it in their hearts. It is in-
,graven tliere with the finger of the Holy Ghoft,
.his heart is caft into a divine mould, moulded into
the will of God, his will of grace, his will of pre-
cept, and his will of providence : fo that he delights
in the law of God^ after the inward man, 1'he law
of his God is in his hearty and therefore none of his
Jlefs JJ:all Jlide, (7,) The inhabitation of the Holy

Ghoic,

and C07tdemned, igg

Ghoft, Is another efficacious bond of obedience ;
E'zek. xxxvi. 27. / ivill put my fpirit within theniy
and caiife them to 'walk in my ftatutes, and keep^.
ifiy judgments^ and do them. This law of the fpirit
of lif\ which is in Chrif feftiSy makes them free from
the law of fm and death. And being led by the fpirit y
they do not fulfil the lufts of the flefi. To conclude,
that every grace of God, which frees them from the
law as a covenant, binds them to it as a rule, T/V.
ii. II, 12.

Thefe are fome gofpel-bonds of obedience ; and
you who never knew what it is to have your
fouls under the fweet influence of thefe, but only
obey the law with a view to purchafe a title to
heaven, or to redeem your fouls from hell and
wrath : I, in the name of God, pronounce the
heavy doom of my text againft you, IJe that be-
licces not) is cojidemned already.

O 4 He

^he Ajfurance of Faiths opened
and applied,

BEING

The Subllance of feveral SERMONS on
Hebrews x. 22.

» i .11 - , .

By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

Heb. X. 22, Having therefore, brethren, holdnefs to enter into the
holiejl, by the blood of fefus, by a new and living zvay which he
hath confecratcd for us, through the vail, that is to fay, his
flejh : anfl having an high priejl over the houfe of God : let us:
draw near luith a true heart, IN FU^L ASS U RANGE
OF FAITH, &c.

-^^

DISCOURSE I.

Containing an tntrodu5lio7i to the jnain ptirpofe,
with the method of the following difcourfe,

THESE verfes contain the apoftle's tranli-
tion from the doctrinal to the pra<5tical part
of the epiftle. Having at great length difcourfed
upon the prieftly office of Chrift, in the foregoing
part of the epiflle j he fums up, in a few Words,
the fcope and fubftance of all he had been faying,
'uerfe 19, 20, and 21, and then deduces a very na-
tural inference frorn the whole, '•ocy-fe 22. het us
draw 72ear with a true heart, in full ajfurance of
faiik. Like a \^'ife builder^ he firfl digs till he

come

TZ^ AJJurance of Faith^ &c. 201

come to the foundation, and then calls hlmfelf and
others to build upon it with Confidence.

That we may have the more diflindl view of
the words, it is expedient that we obfei've in ge-
neral, the apoftle here very elegantly exprelTes new
tefiament privileges ^ in an old tejiament Jlile and di-
aled. The highefl privilege of fallen man, is to
have accefs into the prefence of God, his offended
Lord and Sovereign; the only way of accefs is
Chrift, of whom the temple of Solo?non was an
illuftrious type j and with allufion unto the typical
temple, Chrijl is prefented to our faith under a
threefold view, verfe 19, 20, 21. (i.) As a gate
or door^ by which we may enter into the holiejiy
and that with boldnefs, by virtue of his atoning
blood J verfe 19. Under the mofaick difpenfation,
Aaron alone, and not the Ifraelites, could enter into
the holy of holies, and that but once a year, with
the blood of beafts facrificed for himfelf and
them : but now, under the new tefiament, through
the death and fatisfaftion of the Son of God, the
way of accefs to friendfliip and fellowfliip with a
holy God, both here and hereafter, is made open
and patent to every linner, who by faith comes in
under the covert of the blood of fefus. No fooner
had Adam finned, but the door of accefs to the
majefly of God was bolted againfl him, and all his
poflerity ; the cherubim with the fiajning fword flood
in his way : but now the flaming fword of juflice
being quenched in the blood of the furety, the
door of accefs is again wide opened. I remem-
ber, the wojnanof Tekoah, 2 Sam. xiv. 14, in her
parabolical addrefs unto David, on Abfalom's be-
half, makes ufe of this argument with David, to
perfuade him to bring home his exile fon, God
(fays flie) doth devife means that his banified be not

expelled

202 Tlje Affui'dfice of Faith ^

expelled fro7?i him. This is remarkably true in the
caib in handj God, in his infinite wifdom, has
devifed a way how his banificd may be brought
home again to his prefence, and that is, through
the blood and fatisfadion of Chrijl, "John x. 9.
'John xiv. 6.

(2.) To encourage us in our approaches to God
through Chriit, he is preferited to us under the no-
tion of a new mid living waVy conje crated for uSy
through the vail, that is to fay , his fief :>, verfe 20.
The inner vail, that feparated between the holy
place, and the holieft of all, in the temple of
"jerufalem, was a type of that body of fief \ alTum-
ed by the fon of God, whereby his deity was vailed-,
and through the breaking or rending of this by his
death on the crofs, the way to God and Glory be-
comes open and patent : and this is called a new
way, either in oppofition to Adams way by a cove-
nant of works, which is fliut up ever lince the fall
of man ; or becaufe it never waxes old, but is
ever frefi?, green and fragrant unto the believing
foul. And is called a living way, becaufe, tho'
Chrifi was once dead, yet now he is alive, and
lives for ever more, to give life to every foul that
comes to God through him. And then, he is a
way confer ated for iis, he is dedicated for the ife
of finners in their dealings with God ; for their
fakes (fays he) do I fanclify myfelf And O ! what
can be more encouraging to a loil; linner, to make
ufe of Chriil by faith, than to know that he is
juft devoted for this work of faving that which
was loft ?

(3.) Whereas the linner might objed. That
tho' the door be opened, and the new and living
way confecrated, yet he is either fo ignorant, that
he knows not this way j or fo impotent, that he

cannot

opened aitd applied, 203

cannot walk in it ; or fo guilty, that he dares not
venture to go in to the holiefl : thereforej to
obviate all thefe, Chrijl is prefented to us as a great
high prieji over the hoiife of God, verle 21. O
what noble encouragement is here for believing!
Chrijl, as a high priefi, is ordained for men, in
things pertainii2g to God, Heb. v. i. And feeing
he is ordained for men, may not men make ufe
of his mediation, with confidence and bold?2efs?
Heb. iv. 14, 16. And then by his office, he is
obliged to execute the duties of his office toward
every foul that imploys him therein : he is obliged
as 2.'highpriefi to inilru6t the ignorant, to ftrengthen
the weak, to confirm the feeble, and to jnake
reconciliation for the fins of the people. And there-
fore let us take courage to imploy and improve
him, efpecially confidering that he is both a mer-
cifid and faithful high priefi, Heb. ii. 17. And
alfo a Jjigh priefi, who is over the houfe of Gody
(i. e.) he has full power and authority from his
eternal father, to negotiate our affairs, and to render
both our perfons and performances acceptable unto
him. In a yfoxA, the v/hole management of the
offspring and ifiiie, and of all the vefels of cups
and fiagons, is committed to him: Yea, all the
glory of his father's houfe hangs upon him, as upon
a nail fafined in a Jure place, Ifa. xxii. 24. And
therefore, feeing we have a high priefi of fuch
/authority and interefi, let us come with boldnefs to
a throne of grace, that we tnay obtain mercy, and
find grace to help in time of need, Heb. iv. 14, 15, 16.
Whenever we have any bufniefs v/ith God, when-
ever we would enter into the fecret of his prefence,
or enjoy fellowffiip with him, let us go in at the
back of our ^r^^^ high priefi, who has led the

way

204 The Ajfurance of Taith^

way before us, and is appearing in the prefence of
God for us.

Now, I fay, the apoftle having thus prefented
Chriji under the mofl encouraging views as the
ohje^l of our faith, trtiji and confidence in our deal-
ings with the majelly of God, he proceeds to re-
commend and inculcate a correfpondent duty in
the words of my text, verfe 22. Let m draw near
<w'tth a true heart, in FULL ASSURANCE
OF FAITH, having our hearts fprinkkd, &c.

Before we proceed to the more particular con-
sideration of the words, it is very much worthy our
notice, to obfen^e the apoftle's order and method
of do(!lrine, and how he knits the believer's privi-
lege and duty together ; he would have the pri-
vilege firft believed, and then the duty performed j
he would have us firfl believe, that the door of
the holiefl is opened by the blood of Jefas, that there
is a new and living way confecraeed for us, that
we have a high priejl over the hoiife of God, ready
to introduce us into his prefence : And, upon thefe
grounds of faith, he prefTes and inculcates the
duty. Let us draw near, &cc. It is pleafant hence
to cbfcrve, how the method and order of the
covenant of works is juil inverted in the covenant
of grace. In the covenant of works, duty was
the foundation of our privilege ; man was firft to
perform duty, and upon his doing that, might
expect the privilege in a way of paBional debt :
But now, I fay, the veiy reverfe of this, is God's
order and method in the covenant of grace ; for
here, we are frfi to bcluve the privilege, or to re-
ceive it as a grant of fovereign grace, and upon
that ground we are to go on to duty. This is a
thing that needs to be adverted with the utmoft

attention \

opened and applied, 205

attention 5 in regard, the bent of nature runs in
the way of the covenant of works, namely, to
expert the privilege on the fcore of duty, and to
fancy that God is a debtor to us, when we have
done this and the other duty required in the law ;
Whereas, the ftream of nature runs quite crofs to
the order and method laid in the covenant of grace,
namely, firft to receive the privilege in a way of
grace, like beggars receiving God's alms ; and then
to perform duty, as a teftimony of gratitude for tlie
privilege received, without expediting any thing
from the Lord upon the account of duty done
by us J this is what proud nature fpurns againfl,
with the utmoft reludancy : What ? to take all
freely izithout inoney or price^ and to reckon our-
felves unprofitable fervants when we have done all,
is what depraved nature cannot yield to, till the-
heart is new-moulded by fovereign and efficacious
grace. Will 7iot God be pie a fed ivith thoiifands of
,rams^ and ten thoufand rivers of oir^ &c. ivhere-
fore have we fafied and prayed^ and thou takeji no
knowledge ? is exprefly our natural way of thinking.
But tho' this way lye crofs unto nature, yet this is
the v/ay in which God will have finners faved, or
elfe they {hall never fhare of his falvation : he
will have them to receive eternal life, begun here,
and confummate hereafter, as the gift of God
through Jefiis Chrif our Lordy without regard to
any of our doings as 2i foundation of our claim or
title thereunto. Boafiing mufl be for ever ex-
cluded, that the glory of oui* falvation may re-
dound wholly alone unto grace, which reigns
through imputed 7''ighteoi{fnefsy unto eternal life by
Jefus Chrif our Lord. And therefore, I fay, ftudy
to rivet upon your minds, the order zxA-fnethod
laid by God in the covenant of grace, where

privilege

2o6 T^e Afftirance of Faith^

privilege received by faith is mack the foundatioji of
duty, and not duty the foundation of our claim to
the privilege. This is the fcheme or order laid in
our lejfer catechifm^ by the Wejijninfer Affcmbly ;
where, in anfwer to the third quejiion^ we are told,
that the fcriptures principally teach^ firf 'what man
is to believe concerning God \ and then, the duty
which God requires of j)ian. And, according to this
order, we have, firft, the objedts of faith, and
privileges of believers explained j and then, the
duties of the moral law inculcated upon that grounds
And if this order of doftrine be inverted, we
deftroy the covenant of grace, and return to a
covenant of works. So much for the connediion.

I proceed to the words themfelves; where we
may notice^, ( i.) The grand duty the apoflle urges
upon the foregoing grounds, het us draw near.
(2.) He gives particular dircBicjis, how we are
to manage in our approaches unto God, through
the new and living way, viz. with a true hearty
in fidl afurance of faith. &c.

As to the firfl, vi:z. the general duty that is-
prefled, Let us draw near. The apoflle does
not tell us exprefly, v/hither, or to whom, we
are to draw near ; but it is plain from the whole
drift of the text and context, that he invites us
to draw near to God-y not to God abfolutely con-
fidered, for thus he is inacceffible by guilty iin-
ners ; but to God in Chrijl reconciling the world to
himfelf : this is that throne of grace, to which he
had invited us to come with holdnefs, that v/e
may obtain grace, and find mercy to help us in
time of need, chap. iv. 16. The Greek word is the
very fame both there and here.

opened aitd applied^ 207

It is confiderable in the manner of the apoftle's
exhortation, that, when he is calling others to
dra'iV near, he comprehends himfelf\ it is not, do
you draw near^ but let us^ draw near. Minivers
of the gofpel, when difpenling the truths of God,
mufl preach home to their own fouls, as well as un-
to others. Sirs, we do not deliver truths or doc-
trines to you, wherein we ourfclves have no man-
ner of concern ; no, our own fouls are at the
flake, and fhall either perifli, or be faved eternally,
as we receive or rejedt thefe precious truths, which
we deliver unto you. And truly, it can never be
expected, that we will apply the truths of God
with any v/armth or livelinefs unto others, unlefs.
we iirft make a warm application thereof to our
own fouls ; and, if we do not feed upon thefe doc-
trines, and praftife thefe duties, which we deliver
to, and inculcate upon you, tho' we preach unto
others, we ourfelves are but caji-a'ways.

The exhortation, d7-aiv near fuppofes our natu-
ral diilance and eflrangement from God j All ive
like fkecp ha've gone ajlray^ fays the prophet Ifaiah,
chap. liii. 6. When Chriil would defcribe our
apoftate and lapfed ftate, he doth it under the no-
tion of a Prodigal going into afar country^ Luke
XV. There are three things we all loft and for-
feited in the iirft Adam, Vvi. the image of God, the
favour of God, and felloiv/hip with God : yea, fo
much have we loft them, that the apoftle. plainly
tells us, tliat we are alienated from the very life of
God in our natural flate. This God intimated un-
to Adam immediately after the fall, in that queftion
he propounded to him, when hiding himfelf from
his prefence among the thickets of paradife, Adam,
where art thoul Gen. iii. 9. Non es ubi prim eras-,
as Aufiin, one of the ancient fathers, glofleth it ;

1'hou

20 8 ZS^ AJfuraiice of Faith ^

'Thou art 7i.of where thou waft before. What is be-
come of the late friendihip and fellowfhip that
was betwixt me and thee ? Of a Son of God, thou
art become a child of the devil; Of an ally of
heaven, turned a confederate of hell. Thus the
breach and rupture is wide like the fea. Can ever
parties betwixt whom there is fuch a natural and
moral diftance be brought together again ? Yes,
the apoftle's exhortation to draw near, plainly bears,
that the offended and affronted Majefty of heaven
is acceffible by the blood cf Jefus, by the Jiew and
Vfoing way. It was the great plot of heaven from
eternity, to bring fallen man back again into fellow-
fliip with his maker. Infinite wifdom, animated
by infinite bowels of mercy, has found the way,
and the way is CHRIST, John xiv. 6. The main
intent of his incarnation, and of the whole of his
mediatory work was to brifig us to God, i Pet. iii.
1 8. To bring Grangers and enemies to amity and
unity, is a great and mighty work ; yet this work
he accomplilhes and brings about by the ranfoni
he has paid for us, and by the operation of his
fpirit in us.

This drawing near to God, it does not confifl in
any approach unto the eifence of God ; for effen-
tially coniidered, he is not far from every one of
us ; In him we Ivoe, move, and have our being. Nei-
ther does it lye in an external or bodily attendance
upon him in the duties of his worflnp, Bodih exer-
cife profiteth little : many draw near to God with
their mouths a?id lips, while their hearts are far re-
moved fi'om him. Neither does it confifl in a nioral
ferioujnefs, tho', alas, it is much to bring fome peo-
ple even that length : people may be morally fe-
rious about eternal concerns, in a legal way, like
the Fharifee^ who came to Chrifi faving;, Good ma"

opened and applied* 209

Jler^ what fiall I do to inherit eternal life ? Yea,
Heathejjs, and Mahometans^ and fews^ may be mo-
rally fer ions in their own way, but they cannot be
faid to draw nigh to God. What is it then, fay
you, to draw near to God ? I anfwer, It is an aSi
of the heart or mind^ whereby the foul ^ under the iti-

Jiuence of the fpirit, fweetly and irrejiflahly returns
to a God in Chrijl, as its only centr-e of reft* The
poor foul having tried u4dam's way of accefs, and
finding that door bolted by the law, juftice and
holinefs of God, defpairs of ever entring thereby :
at length, the man, when he has wearied himfelf
in the greatnefs of his way, finding the door of
the holiell opened by the blood of Jefus, the new
and living way being difcovered to him in the light
of the word and fpirit, he cries out at the fight of
it, O ! this is the gate of Gody by this door will I
enter into his prefence : yea, this is my refiy here
will I dwell, for I defre and like it welL O what
a fweet acquiefcence of foul is there in God's device
of falvation through Chrift ! The man cannot but
applaud and approve of it, as a device every way
worthy of infinite wifdom, crying out with the
apoftle, O! it is a faithful faying, and worthy of all
acceptation, that Chrijl cajne into the world to fave

finners. This ordinarily is the foul's exercife, both
in its firft and after approaches unto God in any
duty of worfliip. There is a conflant improve-
ment of the merit and mediation of Chrift in every
addrefs the man makes to the Majefly of heaven ;
he, as it were, fixes himfelf in the clifts of the
rock of ages j he gets into the fecret places of that
blefled y?^/r, by which we afcend unto heaven;
and then he fhows his countenance, and lifts up
his voice, in drawing near to God by the new and
livitJg way. We, as it were take up the propitia-

P tion

210 The Affurance of Faith^

tion which God has let forth, in the hand of faith,
hold it up to God, faying. Behold the blood of the
covenant j Behold ^ O God, our Jhield, look upon the
face of thine anointed. We go qnite out of our-'
felves, when we draw near to the lioUeft by the
blood of Jefusj we overlook our own duties,-
graces, frames, attainments, grounding our hope
of accefs and fuccefs only upon the merit and mayn
of our great high priejl, God having made us ac-
cepted in the beloved. And, in this view of things,
the foul will readily exprefs itfelf, as David did in.
the like cafe, faying, I will go unto the altar of God y
unto God my exceeding joy. And, if God hide his
face, the foul will wait, and exped: good at his
hand, faying, Hope in God, for I Jhall yet praife
him ; he will cotn?nafid his loving-ki?jdf2efs in the day,
and his fongJJ:all be with me in the 7iight. And, if
the Lord fmile, and grant an anfwer of peace,
he will not afcribe his fuccefs to his own faith.
Frame, fervency, but unto Chrif alone, faying.
Not unto ics, not unto us, but unto thy name be the
glo?y. Thus much for the main duty of draw^
ing near.

The apofcle next proceeds to diredt as to the
manner of our approach. And, \jl, he dired:s us
to draw near with a true heart. This is a word
fitly fpoken j if he had required us to draw near
with a heart perfedly clean and pure, he mjght as
well have bidden us fly without wings ; but he
bids us draw near with a true heart, i. e. with a
heart tridy concerned about acceptance with God, a
heart truly approving of, and acquiefcing in the
new and living way. In fliort, a ti'ue heart here,
is oppofed to a double, doubting, dij}7'ujli?ig and hy^
pocritical heart ; all difiimulation is to be avoided

in our dealinga- 'With him, who tries the heart and
....... >* ' the

opened and applied, 'lit

the reins ^ and whcfe eyes are as aflame of fire ^ fearch-
vig Jerufalem as with candles. Pfal. li. 6. Behold^
thou defirefi truth in the inward parts. Whereas the
hypocrite, who draws near with his mouthy and hon-
ours God with his lips^ while his heart is far removed
from him^ jljall not ft and in his prefence. Take care
then that your hearts be honeftly minded towards
God when you draw nigh to him. But I pafs this
alfo, and go on to that which I have principally in
view, viz.

The fecond direBion or advice the apoftle gives
in order to our fuccefsful approach unto God by the
new and hving way, and that is to draw near In
full ajfurance of faith.

The original word lignifies to be fully perfuadedy
or afured of a thing ; and is oppofed to waveringy
doiihting and uncertainty. The apoftle having laid
a firm foundation of accefs in the preceeding
verfes, he bids us truil: to it, and reft upon it, with'
an unlhaken confidence, and certain perfuafion of
fuccefs. What further is necelTary by way of ex-
plication, will occur in the profecution of the fol-
lowing

Doctrine, viz. It is the will of Gody that
they who approach to him in Chrift, ftjould draw
near in full ajfurance of faith y or with a cer-
tain perfuafion y and confident expe5tation of fuc-
cefs and acceptance.
The foundation of thi-^. doBrine is obvious. It
is plain the apoftle here is not fpeaking of that
affurance oi grace 2xA falvation which follows upon
believing, and is the refult of the foul's refieBion
upon the operations of the holy fpirit within ; but
of an ajfurance lying in the very direB aB of faith :
for the apoflle's fcope here is, not to give the 7narks
and evidefices, but to prefent the objeB of faith, viz.

P 2 Chrift

212 The Ajjuraiice of Faith^

Chrifl as the door and ivay to the bolieji^ and as a
loigh prieji ready to introduce us ; and thereupon
exhorts to a correfpondent adl of believing, in
drawing near to God, namely, with full ajfurance
of faith.

In difcourling this dodtrine, I fhall, through di-
vine affiftance, endeavour to fpeak, (i.) Oi faith
in general. (2.) Of the ajfurance of faith. (3.) Of
th^fiill ajfurance of faith. (4.) Of tlie grounds that
faith builds its affurance upon, in drawing near to
God. (5.) Apply the whole.

DISCOURSE IL

Of F AIT H in general.

BEFORE I go on to difcourfe thefe heads,
I fliall only premife^ That the pradlical and
experimental underltanding of this fubjed:, is a
matter of the higheft importance and concern, in
regard, as the apoftle tells us exprelly, Heb. vii. 6.
Without faith it is impojjihle to pleafe God : without
fome degree of faith, we can never make a fuc-
cefsful approach unto a throne o? grace. What
was faid of the Ifraelites with relation to the earth-
ly Canaan^ That they coiddnot enter in becauje of im-
beliej] the fame may be faid of the greateft part
of profeiTors under the gofpel, they ca?inot enter in-
to the holieft of fellowfliip with God here, or of
immediate enjoyment hereafter, becaufe of unbe-
lief: and therefore^ I fay, the right underftanding
and uptaking of this fubjed muft be of the greateft
concern to them who have any concern anent their
acceptance with God, This premifed, I pro-
ceed to The

ope?2ed and applied. 213

The firft thing propofed in the method^ which
was to difcourle a little oi faith in gefieral. I fliail
not fland upon the different kitids of faith, that are
commonly mentioned, fuch as, a hiJio7'ical, miracii'-
lorn and te?}Jporary faith, which may be found in
reprobates and temporary believers ; our inquiry
at prefent is particularly anent the faith of God's e-
leB, which is well defcribed in our fhorter cate-
chifm, thus,

Faith m JESUS C HR IS T Is afaving grace,
whereby we reccime and rejl upon him alone,
for fahation, as he is offered to us in the gofpel.

For clearing of which defcription, I offer the
jfcw following confiderations,

(i.) That faith is a failing grace. And it is fo
defigned, becaufe it is thtfi-ce gift of God, Eph. ii.
8. It is not the produdl of free-ivili, fuch a flower
never fprung out of the foil of depraved nature ;
no, it is one of the prime operations of the fplrit,
in effedual calling, upon the fouls of God's eledh
It is not beflowed upon any, upon the account of
good difpofitions or qualifications antecedent to it-
felf ; faith is tht f?f grace or the frf a^l of fpiri-
tual life, and, as it were, the parent of the other
graces, becaufe it roots and grafts the foul in Chrill:,
of whom alone our fruit is found. Before the im-
plantation of faith, nothing but atheifm, enmity,
ignorance, and unbelief overfpreads the face of the
foul, being alienated fro77i the 'very life of God,
through the ignorance that is in us ; and therefore
faith mufl needs be z grace, or free gift of God, be-
flowed without any antecedent merit, good difpo-
fition, or qualification in us. Faith is a faving grace,
becaufe, wherever true faith is there fahation is
already begun, and fliall certainly be confummate
in due time. There is an infeparable conne(5tion

P 3 flated

2T4 ^he Affiirance of Faith ^

flated by the ordination of heaven, between faith
and falvation, "^ohn iii. i6. God fo loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever be-
Ueveth in him, fioidd not ferijld, hut have everlajling
life. Mark xvi i6. He that belicveth jl:all be ja-
ved. When we preach the everlafling gafpel,
making offe?' of Chrift and his falvation unto every
creature, we are at the fame time to declare, that
nvhofoever he be, that gives faith's entertainment un-
to this gofpel of the grace of God, fhall be faved :
fo that this promife, eflablifliing the connection be-
tween faith and falvation, is as extenfive as the offer
of the gofpel, and is not made to believers exclujive-
ly of others. It is certainly true of every fon of
Adam, lying within the joyful found of a Saviour,
that if he believe he fhall be faved j and this we
are allowed to declare in the name of God, as an
encourao;ement to everv finner to receive and enter-
tain our meflage.

(2.) I remark from this defcription of faith,
that it hath Chrift for its main and principal object j
for it is 2. faith IN JESUS CHRIST. There
is fuch a near relation betwixt Chrift and faith,
that they cannot be feparate : take away Chrift
from faith, then faith is but a cypher, and ftands
for nothing ; nothing can fill the eye or hand of
faith, but Chrift only: CHRIST is the bread of
life, faith is the mouth of the foul, that eats and
feeds upon him 3 CHRIST is the myftical brazen
fe?'pent, faith the eye of the foul that looks to him
for healing i CHRIST is the fro?2g hold caft open
to the prifoners of hope, faith the foot of the foul
that runs into him for fhelter; CHRIST is our
living altar, his fatisfacftion and interceffion like the
two horns of the altar, ^n^ faith flees in thither

for

opened and uppUed. 2 1 5

"for fafcty from the law and juftice of God, which .
purfue tlie finner for his life j CHRIST is tl-ic
bridc-grcom^ ^ndfaitf.\ like the bride, takes him by
the hand, faying, Even fo I take him. In a word,
faith flights and overlooks every thing elfe, to be
at Chrift, faying with David, Pfal. Ixxiii. 25.
Whom have I in heaven but thee ? &c. And with
Paul, I defire to k77cw fiothing but Cb'iji, and him
crucified ; yea, doubtkjs I count all things but lofs, for
the excellency of the hioidedge of Chrift.

(3.) I remark, that faith is here defcribed to be
a receiving of Chrifi according to what we have,
fohn i. 12. To as many as received him, to them gave
he poiver to become the fons of God, &c. For under-
ftanding this, you would know, that Chrifi, the
ever-bleiTed objeB of faith, is prefented to us in
the gofpel, under a great many diiferent views and
afpecls, in a correfpondence unto which faith re-
ceives its denomination : for inflance, is Chrift pre-
fented under the notion of me/it to the hungiy
foul ? then faith is exprelTed by eating : is Chrifi
held out under the notion of living waters ? then
faith is called a drinking : is he held out as a re-
fuge? then faith is called 3.fieei?ig to him, Heb. vi.
17. Is he held out as 2. garme?2t to the naked?
then faith is a putting him on, for clothing. Thus
I fay, according to the afped: in which Chrifi is
prefented, faith receives its name, as the fea re-
ceives its names according to the different countries
or fhoars it wafhes : jufl fo here, when Chrifi
is prefented, under the notion of a gift^ then
faith is called a receiving him -, for giving and re-
ceiving are correlates as you fee, yohn iii. 27. u4 man
can receive (or, as in the margin, take unto hini-
felf) nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

P 4 * Re-

2 1 6 The Affurance of Faith ^

* Receiving, or taking of a thing, is hwt Jlcalth or
robbery^ where it is not warranted by an antecedent
givifig or granting : fo our receiving Chrift would
be but prefumption, and a vicious intromiffion, if he
were not given of God to be received ; and this
givi?2g of Chrifl in the revelation and offer of the
gofpelj is common to all^ and warrants all to receive
him. 'John vi. 32. fays Chriil unto a promijcuoiis
multitude, the far greater part of whom were un-
believers, as is evident from Chrifl's characfter of
them, My Father (fays he) giveth you the true bread
which is from heaven, meaning hinifelf. We read,
'Pfal. cxix. 16. that God hath given the earth to the
fons of men, i. e. he made a grant of it unto them,
to be ufed and pofTelfed by them ^ and by vertue
of this deed of gift or grant^ before the earth came
to be fully peopled, or flock'd with inhabitants, it
was lawful for a man to take polTelTion of it, and
ufe it as his own : juft fo here, God hathy^ loved
the world of loft mankind, that he hath given his
only begotten Son, that whofoever of manki?jd loft be^
licveth in him^ or receiveth him, may not perijh, &c,
John 'in, 16, This will not infer an univerfal re^
demption : for I do not now fpeak of the purchafe
or application of redemption, which without all
doubt is peculiar to the eledl\ but of thdX giving
of Chrift in the word., which warrants our re^
ceiving of him : and this, paft all peradventure, is
common to the whole vifible church, yea, to all, to
whom the revelation of Chrift comes : for if there
were not fuch a giving of Chrift, as warrants all
to receive him, the unbelieving world could not in

juftice

* When Chrift is received by us, he muft be tendered, given,
granted, or communicated unto us.

On.ven on the glory of Chrift, Page 123.

ope?ud a?td applied. 217

JLiftice be condemned for rejeding him. O then
let mount Zion rejoice, and let the daughters of
Jiiddh (I mean, the vifible church) be glad and
receive it as a faithful faying, and worthy of all
acceptation, that to us a Son is give?:, and to us a
child is born, ivhofe name is called the wonderful coun-
fcllor, the everlajUng father^ the mighty God, and
the prince of peace j for thefe are glad tidiiigs of
great joy to all people, Ifa. ix. 6. Luke ii. 10. Re-
ceive this Saviour who is given to you, and receive
him with gratitude and praife, warbling out that
doxology with heart and lip, thanks be unto God
for his wifpeakable gift. And if you do not remem-
ber I tell you, you will follow after lying vanities,
and flight your own mercy.

(4.) Upon this defcription of faith, I remark,
that faith is called not only a receiving, but a reft-
ing upon Chrift, Pfalm xxxvii. 7. Reji i?i the Lord,
and wait patiently on him. We are not in my opi-
nion to think, that receiving is one a6l of faith,
and refting another a6l of it ; they are only diffe-
rent expreffions of the fame applicatory, juftify-
ing faith, or ( as fome will have it ) the reft of
faith is a continuation of the reception. There are a
great many denominations of faith of the fame
divine authority, with thefe two mentioned in the
anfwer of the catcchifm, fuch as, eating, drinking^
fleeing, entring, coming, trufting, 6cc. But thefe
are not different a6ts, but only different expreffions
of the faving ad: of faith, making ufe of, or ap-
plying Chrift in a fuitablenefs unto the view where-
in he is prefented in the word of God. Now, as
to this expreffion of refting, it leads us to conceive
of Chrift as a rock, or a flrong foundation, upon
which we may, and flill ought to lay the weight
pf our evcrlafling concerns, with the greateft con-
fidence.

21 8 The Ajjuranu of Faith ^

fidence. When we lay our weight upon a rockj
•wz are not afraid that the rock fink or fail un-
derneath us J fo in believing, the poor, weary,
burdened foul, finding itfelf unable to ftand upon
its own legs, leans and refts upon this rock of ages,
being confident that this rock will not fail. Or,
the exprefiiion of rejiing may allude unto a man's
refting, upon a charter for an efiate, a bond or bill
for a fum of money, he refls upon it as good and
fufficient fecurity -, fo the foul, in believing, refts
upon the fidelity and veracity of a God in Chrift,
fawned in the covenant of grace^ and promifes
thereof. He looks upon the fulnefs of grace and
truth, of merit and fpirit treafured up in Chrift,
as they are laid out in the word of faith j faying
with David, this is all my falvation : on v/hich ac-
count, y^///?, Heb. xi. I. is called the fiihfiance of
things hoped for ; becaufe it rejoices in the promife,
as though it had the thing promifed. This refiing
is equivalent unto triifti?ig, as is evident from all
thefe fcriptures cited in the catechifm upon this
head. I fliall notice further, before I leave this
point, that both thefe exprefiions of receiving, and
refiing, whereby faith is here defcribed, do, in the
very nature of the thing intended, carry an appli-
cation and appropriation in them : for, when I re-
ceive a gift, I take it as my own property ; and
when I refi: upon a charter or bond, I reft on it as
my fecurity : and if this be not allowed, the re-
lieving and fupporting nature of faith is in a great
meafure loft ; without it we could never be filled
with joy and peace in believing. I fliall only add,
that both thefe expreflions, pointing out the nature
of faith, do fo defcribe it, at to put it out of the
rank or categojy of works : for, when a poor man
receives his alms, or. when a weary man re/fs liim,

opened and applied, 219

he cannot in any propriety of fpeech be faid to
work. God will have men faved, under the new
covenant, by fuch a mean and inftrument, that fo
works and boafting may be for ever excluded, and
grace alone for ever exalted.

(5.) I remark, That Faith receives Chrijiy and
refts upo?i him alone. The poor foul, before the
faving revelation of Chrift, was grafping at empty
fliadows, trufting in lying refuges j and like the
men of the old world, when the waters of the
deluge were upon the increafe, was running to this
and the other mountain, where he might be fafe
from the fwelling deluge of God's wrath ; but
finding the waters to overflow his hiding places,
he quits them, and flees to the rock of ages, fay-
ing, in 'vain is fahation expeoied from the hills, or
?nidti tilde of mountains : in the Lord only is the fal-
vation of his people. There is no name given under
heaven among men, whereby to be faved, but by the
name of Jejus. Every man by nature being mar-
ried to the law in Adam, is attempting to climb
up to heaven upon the broken ladder of the cove-
nant of works, and to pafs the deluge of God's
wrath by the fallen bridge of the law : but, as fure
as the Lord lives, your attempts this way will fail
you J for by the works of the law no fejlo living Jhall
be juftified. God has efl:abliflied a bridge of com-
munication between heaven and earth, by the obe-
dience, death, and interceflion of his eternal fon ;
and every other paflage to heaven but this, is
ftopped by the iuftice and holinefs of God. fohn
xiv. 6. fays Chrifl: there, I a7n the WAT, the truth
and the life -, and there is no man cometh unto the fa^
ther but by me.

(6.) Faith receives Chriji, and refts upon him
alone for fahation. This points at the end the

finner

2 20 7he Ajjurartce of Faith ^

iinner has before him, in his firft clofing with
Chrift J he flees unto him ^oy fahatio7t. Ads xv. 7.
We believCj that through the gj'ace of our Lord Je-
fus Chriji ive fiall be farced. By fahation here, wc
are not limply to underftand an eternity of happi-
nefs in the enjoyment of God after time, but a
fahation begun in this prefent life ; fahation from
the beginning of it in regeneration, till it be con-
fummate in glory. The foul, in believing, reils
upon Chrift for pardon^ which is fahation from
the guilt of fin, and condemnatory fentence of the
law : it refls on him for fan5lification^ which is
a fahation from the filth and power of fin ; for
glorification^ which is a fahation from the very in-
being of fin. Alas! the greatefl part of the vifi-
ble church have no other notion of Chrift^ but
only as a fa'viour to keep them out of hell, and
to deliver them from vindidiive wrath. It is true
indeed, our Jefus faveth from the wrath that is to
come ; but how does he that ? He does it by fa-
ving from /in in the firft place. His name (faith
the Angel) fall be called Jefus^ for he fall fa^ce
his people from their fin. His firft and great bufi-
nefs was to condemn fiin^ that arch-traitor^ and firfl-
born of the devil, Kom. viii. 3. To finif tra?f-
grefjion^ and make an end of fin. And therefore it
is a fahation from fin, in the guilt, and filth, and
power of it, for which faith receives Chrifl, and
refts upon him.

(7.) Remark, that faith receives and refts upon
Chrifi, as he is offered to us in the gofpel. This offer
of Chrift though it be lafl named in this defcrip-
tion of faith, yet it is the firft thing in the order
cf nature, that faith believes ; for, unlefs one be-
lieve that Chrift is offered to hi?n in particular, as
the gift of God, and as a foundation of hope and

help,

ope?ted and applied, 2 21

help, he will never receive him or refl on him for
lalvation. This is a believing in order to believing^
a believing that Chrift and falvation in him is real-
ly offered, in order to his being accepted and re-
ceived : and therefore, be verily perfuaded that
that Chrifl is yours in the offer ^ and that God has
given to you eternal life in his fon ; for this is the
record of Gody i John v. ii. and unlefs you be-
lieve this, you make God a lyar, becaufe you be-
lieve not the record that God hath given of his Son,
V. 10. O firs, ! believe it, that to TOU a Son is
given y to TOU a child is horn^ whofe najne is the
ivonderfuly and that God has given to a lofl v/orld,
in the golpel-offer and revelation, that whofoever
believes in him 7nav not perifo^ but have everlajling
life, John iii. i6. Next you may obferve, that it
is in the gofpel that this offer is made, and this gift
of God is prefented unto you.' What is the gof-
pel ? but a word of grace, a word of promife, a
word oi faith, a word of life and falvation, and
to you is the "word of this falvation fent : and in this
word, Chrift and his everlafting righteoufnefs, and
all-fufHcient fulnefs is brought near to you, in or-
der to your receiving and applying him to your
own fouls by faith. You need not climb up to
heaven, or dig into hell, in quefl of a Saviour ;
for the word is nigh thee, (and Chrijl in the word)
even the word of faith which we preach, Rom x. 6,
7, 8, 9. As a jfum of money is brought nigh to
a man in a bond that is offered him, fo is Chrifl
brought nigh in the word of promife to us, ABs
ii. 39. ^he promife is to you, &c. And without
this word of grace and promife, believing were
a thing impoffible, in regard faith could never
faflen on Chrift, or God in him, without this
word of faith. If I fiiould bid you believe that

fuch

22 2 The Affio^ance of Faith^

fuch a man will give you a fum of money, yoU
would think me ridiculous, unlefs he had given
his word that he would do it ; your faith or truft
could not faften upon him without his word or
writ as the immediate ground thereof: fo here
our faith, trufl, or confidence, could never find a
foundation without God's word of grace and pro-
mife ; and in receiving his word you receive him-
felf, and all the treafures of his grace laid up in
Chrift, and laid out to your hand in the word.

Next, It is confiderable in this branch of the de-
fcription, that faith's reception, and application of
Chrift, muft be regulated by, and bear a propor-
tion unto the offer that is made him in the gof-
pel. For here we are told that faith is a receiving
and refting upon him as he is offered, &c. This
qualifies our reception of Chrift, and diilinguiflies
the faith of true believers, from that of hypocrites
and formalifts. And therefore notice this as a
thing of the laft moment and confequence, whe-
ther your faith comes up to the ofl:er, and corre-
fponds thereunto. I fhall illuftrate this in th^foiir
following particulars.

I. Chrift is freely offered in the gofpel, Ifa. Iv. r.
Rco. xxii. 17. So faith receives and embraces him
as \h.t free gift of God. Beware of thinking, to
buy the pearl with the money and price of your
works, duties, and good qualifications, as if by
thefe you were fitted for receiving Chrift, or as if
God made you the more welcome on the account
of thefe, to receive his unfpeakable gift ; no, no,
remember that, in the matter of believing, you
are to iliake your hands from holding of fuch
bribes ; for the pearl of great pice cannot be
bought in fuch a way. It is true, believing 'is called
2i buying, Ifa.lv. i. Rcv.m. 19. But then let it

opened and applied. 223

be remembred what fort of a buying it is ; it is a
buying imthoiit money and without price. God's price
in the market of the gofpel is juft nothing : and
yet this is fo great a matter with man, that the
pride of his heart will not allow him to tell it
down. We cannot think of coming up^ I fhould
rather fay, we cannot think of coming down to
Ood's price ; I mean, of taking Chrifl and falva-
tion in him and through him for nothing. Many
iliy to God, as Abraham faid to the king of Sodom^
Gen. xiv. 23. I will not take any thing that is thine,
from a thread to a fioe4atchet^ left thou flmddfay, I
have made Abraham rich. Juft fo does the proud
felf-righteous linner upon the matter fay unto God.
God comes in a gofpel-difpenfation, faying, Conie,
Jinners^ I fee you are wretched, miferable, blind,
poor and naked : you have nothing to give me as
an equivalent for life, righteoufnefs and falvation ;
and therefore I feek no money or price from you,
but make a free gift of my fon, and his whole
fulnefs, for nothings only take him as my free
gift, and he and all that, comes along with him, is
your own for ever. No^ fays the pride of the
heart, I am rich, and increafed with goods, I
ftand in need of nothing at God's hand : if God
will give me life upon the terms of the firft cove-
nant, as it v/as granted to Adam j or if (becaufe I
am already a finner, and incapable of yielding a
perfect and finlefs obedience) God will lower the
terms of the covenant of works, and grant me an
intereft in Chrift and falvation for my aft of be-
lieving, or on the fcore of my honeft aims and
good meanings, or fincere endeavours, I am well
content : but to take Chrift and eternal life for m^
thing, is what the proud legal heart cannot ftoop
to. O what a curfed averfion is there in the heart

2 24 ^^ Affiira?ice of Faith ^

of man, againft his being a debtor unto grace, and
grace only ! To buy without money and price,
is a myilery which the felfilli heart of man cannot
comprehend. But, firs, faith is a grace that comes
to gety and not to give : or, if it grce any thing,
it is the ills of the foul, but nothing of good does
it pretend to give. The linner, in believing, upon
the matter fays. Lord, I give thee my folh\ and
take thee for my only 'wifdom 3 I give thee my
guilty that thou may be the herd my rightcoufnefs ;
I give thee my deJUements^ and take thee {or fatiBi-
jication -, I give thee my chatm and fetters^ that I
may be indebted to thee for i-cdemption and liberty -,
I give thee my po'verty^ and take thee for my only
riches ; I give thee my ivicked, wandering, hard
and deceitjul hearty that thou may give me the
new heart and new fpirit promifed in thy cove-
nant. Thus, I fay, Chrifl is freely offered, and
muft be freely received.

2. Chrifl is offered wholly, an undivided Chrifl
is oifered, and thus alfo he muft be received. There
are fome, who in their profeffed and pretended
way of believing, do as it were halve and divide
Chrift : fome do fo far receive him as a prophet,
that they fubmit to the teaching of his word, and
^thereby come to acquire a great deal of fpecula-
tive knowledge in the things of God j but, being
unacquainted with the teaching of his fpirit, they
never come to the knowledge of the truth as it is
in Jefus ; and hence it comes that they never flee
to him as a propitiation, or fubmit unto his autho-
rity as a king and a lav/giver : for the execution
of the prophetical office, paves the way for his
reception both as a prieft and king. Some again
profeiledly receive Chrift as a prieji, to fave them
Irom hell and the curfe ; but, by continuing in

their

opened and applied. 225

their ignorance under a gofpel-revclatlon, and
walking according to the coiirfe of this world,
and not according to the laws of Chrift, they do
evidently rejed: him, both as a prophet and king.
Others again, and I fear too many in our day,
do profeiTedly receive Chrill: as a king and lawgiver,
to the prejudice of his prieftly office, while they
imagine, by their obedience to his law, particu-
larly the ?iew gofpel-laiv of faith and repentance (as
fome call it) to purchafe a title to falvation ; by
which means they either totally exclude the righte-
oufnefs of Chrift, or mingle their own ads of
faith and repentance with the righteoufnefs of
Chrift in the affair of acceptance and juftification
before God : in both which cafes, Chnji can profit
them nothing ; they are fallen fro7n grace ^ as the
apoftle exprefly declares. Gal, v. 2, 4. Thus, I
fay, many pretended believers halve and divide the
offices of Chrift. But is Chrift divided ? No, a
whole, an intire, and undivided Chrijl muft be re-
ceived, or no Chrijl at all ; there is nothing of
Chrift that a believing foul can want. It is true
indeed, the firft iliglit of a poor awakned foul,
fleeing from the face of the law and juftice of
God, is to Chrift as a priejl ; becaufe here, and
here only, it finds relief and fhelter under the
covert of everlafting righteoufnefs : But at the
fame moment in which it receives him as a prieft
for juftification, it fubmits unto his kingly autho-
rity, faying, as the men of Ifrael did unto Gideon,
'Thou haft delivered us out of the hands of cur enemies,
therefore ride thou over us : O Lord, other lords
have had doininion over us, hut by thee only will we
now make mention of thy name.

(3.) Chrift is offered particularly unto every
one of the hearers of the gofpel, and accordingly

Q^ faith

2 26 "The Ajjurance of Faith^

faith receives him with particular application. The
general call and offer reaches every individual per-
fon, and God fpeaks to every finner as particularly^
as tho' he named him by his name and firname.
Remiffion of fin is preached unto you ; wt be-
feech you to be reconciled : the promife is to you •
and, for my part, I do not know what fort of a
gofpel men make, who do not admit this. Now,
I fay, faith, which is the eccho of the gofpel-offer
and call, muft needs receive an offered Chrift and
falvation, with particular application to the foul it-
felf. For a perfon to reft in a general perfuafion
that Chrift is offered to the church, or offered to
the eled:, or a perfuafion of God's ability and
readinefs to fave all that come to Chrift, is flill
but a general faith, and what devils, reprobates
and hypocrites may have. Man, woman, Chrifl:
ftands at thy door, thou in particular, even thou art
called and commanded to believe in the name of
the Son of God. Here lies the great pinch and
flrait of believing j the convinced and awakened
foul, through the policy of fatan, and the work-
ings of a deceitful heart, tlirufts away the word
of grace and faith, as not pertaining unto it ; till
God, by the power of his fpirit, irradiate the word,
and irradiate the mind of the finner, letting the
man fee, that to hijn the word of this falvation
is fent : and then he believes with particular appli-
cation, not only good-v/iil to man upon earth, but
good-will to me-j Chrift is offered to me, and there-
fore I take him for my own faviour ; the promife
and covenant is diredied unto me, and therefore I
embrace it as my fecurity. But, perhaps, more of
this under the fecond general head.

(4.) God is hearty, and in good earneft, in his
offers of Chriftj and his falvation. O firs ! do not

think

opened and applied, 221

think that a God of truth dilTembles with you,
when he makes offer o^ his unfpeakable gift, or
that he offers a thing to you, which he has no mind
to give. He fays, yea, h^fwearSy with the greatefl
folemnity, by his very life, that he is in good ear^
veji, and has no pleafure in your death. And
after this, to think that he is not in earnejl, what
elfe is it, but to charge a God of truth with lying
and perjury ? There cannot be a greater affront
offered to a man of common veracity. How cri-
minal then mufl it be, to impute fuch a thing to
him, for whom it is impofHble to he, and who
hates all fraud and diffimulation in others with a
perfed; hatred ? Thus, I fay, God is in good ear^
nejl in his offers of Chrifl j fo faith is hearty , and
in good earneft in receiving and applying him.
With the heart man believes unto right eoufnefs. God's
whole heart, and his whole foul is in the offer
and promife of the gofpel, Jer. xxxii. 41. and
is it not reafonable that we fhould give him a
meeting, by believing with the whole heart and
foul ? It is' not one faculty, but all the powers of
the foul do jointly concur in this bufinefs of be-
lieving ; tho' indeed, to fpeak accurately, with the
learned and judicious 'Dr.Oiven, '^ Faith is in the un-
" derflandingjin refped; of its being and fubfiflence 3
" in the will and heart, in refped: of its effedual
" operation." This much fhall ferve for the firfl
thing propofed, namely, fome account of the na-
ture o^ faith ifi general.

Q_2 DISCOURSE

2 28 7Z^ yljfurance of Faithy

DISCOURSE III.

Of the ASSURANCE of Faith.

THE fecond thing in the method^ was to fpeak
a little of the Afjiirance of faith. And,
what I have to offer upon this head, I fliall en-
deavour to reduce under thefe five propoftions fol-
lowing.

Propoftion if, is this, That i?i this faith (which
I have been defer ibing) there is a twofold certainty
or afurance, viz. of affent, and application j the
former neceflarily fuppofes an affurance of under-
ilanding, or of knowledge, CoL\\.i. The apoflle
there fpeak s of the full afjiirance of underftanding^
which every chriflian ought to breathe after, and
every believer hath in a greater or lefler meafure;
for it is only they that know his name, that will put
their triifi in him, Pfal. ix. lo. This affurance of
underilanding, as I take it, lies in an uptaking
of the reality and excellency of things divine and
fupernatural : there is a beam of the glorious fun
of righteoufnefs darted in upon the man's foul,
who before was fitting in darknefs, and in the
regions of the fhadow of deaths whereby he,
that was darknefs in the abflrad:, becomes light in
the Lord, He comes nov/ to fee things fpiritual
in another light than formerly ; he enters, as it
were, into a new world of wonders 5 upon which
account we are faid to ht*callcd out of darhiefs unto
God's 7?iarvellGUs light. Perhaps the man had, be-
fore this, fome dreaming, floating, fuperficial no-
tions of thefe things ; he heard of them by the-

hearing

opened and applied, 229

hearing of tlie ear, but now his eyes fee them^ and
he fees as great a reality in things invifible and
eternal, as tho' he faw them with his bodily eyes.
This is called by the apoftle, Heb. xi. i. ihe evi-
dence of things iwt fen. There is fuch a certainty
here, as amounts to a demonftration ; fo that you
may as foon perfuade a man that it is mid-night,
when" the mid-day fun is fhining upon him in full
fplendor, as perfuade a man in the lively exercife
of faith, that there is not a reality and excellency
in things fupernaturally revealed. This is fo ef-
fential to faith, that very commonly under the old
tcfiament^ and frequently alfo under the iiew:, faith
receives its . denomination therefrom, Ifa, liii. 1 1 .
fer, xxxi. 34. Johnxvii. 3.

But, to come a little more clofe to the purpofe
in hand, there is, I fay, in faith an afjiirance of
ajfent^ whereby the man affurcdly believes whatever
God has fiid in his word to be true ; and that not
upon the teiliimony of men, of miniilers or angels,
but upon the teftimony and authority of the God
of truth, for whom it is impoffible to lie, fpeak-
ing in his own word, and faying, T^hus faith the
Lord. But in a particular manner, the foul gives
its aifent unto the truth of the promifes of the
gofpcl, and the revelation of the v/ord, concerning
the perfon, natures, offices, undertakings and per--
formances of our Lord Jefus Chrift, as the re-
deemer, furety and faviour of loft finners. The
man's underftanding being enlightned with the
knowledge of Chrift, and having got a view of
him by the fpirit of wifdom and revelation, he
finds it to be all true^ that God has faid of Chrift
in the word ; fo that he cannot fhun, in this cafe,
to join iifue with the apoftle. It is indeed a faith-
ful fayingy that Chriji came into the world- to five

0^3 fmners^

230 Tb^ AJfurance of Faith ^

/inner Si i Tim. i. 15. He fees the truth and vera-
city of God fo much engaged in the covenant
and promifes thereof, that they are more firm
than the everlafling mountains, and perpetual hills,
Jfa. liv. 10. Now, this certainty of kffent is in
fcripture-dialeft, called a believi'ng the report of
the gofpcJj Ifa. liii. i. yl receiving the record of
God', a fetting to the feal that God is true, i John
V. 10, I r.

(2.) There is in faith an ajfurance of applica-
tion^ or appropriation, expreffed frequently in
fcripture, by a rejiing, a trujling, or confiding in
the Lord, and the veracity of his word of grace
and promife. By this a6t of faith, the foul takes
home the promife, and embraces it as a good and
fufficient fecurity to itfelf : It is faid of the old
teftament worthies, Heb. xi. 13. that they were
perfuaded of the promifes, and embraced them : their
faith in the promife was a perfuafion, or allent
with appropriation thereof to their own fouls, in-
fomuch tliat they look'd upon the promife as their
fubftance. And hence is that, which we have in
the firft verfe of that chapter, faith is the fubfiance
of things hoped for. This applicator'^ a€l of faith,
wherein the very life, foul and fv/eetnefs of faith
lies, is pleafantly expreffed and illuftrated in David :
God had made a promife to him of the crown
and kingdom of Ifrael, which bore up his fpirits,
when, through the rage and fury of Saul, he
was hunted like a partridge upon the mountains ;
and viewing the promife, and the fidelity of the
promifer, he cries out, Pfal. Ix. 6. God hath Jpoken
in his hclinefs, I will rejoice : and, becaufe I Jiave
the fecurity of his promife, I dare fay it with con-
fidence and affurance, Gilead is mine, and Manaffah
is mine* In like manner, true faith appropriates

the

opened and applied, 231

the mercy of God in Chrift to the foul itfelf in parti-
cular,upon the ground of the free and faithful promife
of God. I might here demonftrate, that the
flream of our beft proteftant divines concur in their
fentiments as to this matter : I fliall only at prefent
quote the definition of faith given by the great and
judicious Dr. Oiven, in his cafecbifm, or principles
of doe do^rine of Chrift; where, having moved the
qiieflion^ Wloat is jujlifying faith ? his anfwer is,
*' A gracious refting on the free promifes of God
" in Chrifl Jefus for mercy, with a firm per-
" fuafion of heart, that God is a reconciled fa-
" ther to us in the Son of his love. For proof
" of which, he cites, iTim. i. 16. Johnxm. 15.
" John XIX. 25. Ron:, iv. 5. Heb. iv. 16. Ro?n. viii.
" 38, 39. Gal. ii. 20. 2 Cor. v. 20, 21." And on
the margin he hath thefe words, " Of this faith
" the holy fpirit is the efficient caufe, the word
" the inftrumental, the law indireftly by difco-
" vering our mifery, the gofpel immediately by
" holding forth a Saviour. Faith (adds he) is
" in the underftanding in refpedt of its being and
" fubfiftence, in the will and heart in refpedt of
*' its effedual working." According to this ac-
count of faith, this aJfurdJice I fpeak of, viz. a
perfiiafon of the promife with appropriation (as the
judicious Cahifjc fpeaks) can no more be feparate
from faith^ than light can he from the fun. It
takes home the grace and mei;cy of God to the foul
in particular, which before lay in common in the
offer of the gofpel. And without this particular
application, the offer and promife of the gofpel
can fland us in no ftead ; but is like a price put iu
the hand of a fool, who has no heart to it. Our
meat fet before us, will never feed us, iinlefs it
be applied by eating it; fo, except we eat the
0^4 flelh

232 The Aj^urance of Faith^

flefli, and drink the blood of the Son of man by
an applying faith, we have no life in us. What-
ever excellency there be in Giiead's balm^ it will
never recover the hurt of the daughter of Z/c;z, un-
lefs it be ufed by faith. Faith anfwers and corre-
fponds unto the word of faith, as the feal and the
wax anfwer to one another, Zach. xiii. 9. Infill
fay, it is my people ; and ibey jhall fay, ihe Lord
is my God. Yoiih will not quit its Ml^'s, tho' all
the world fliould fay againft it. The marroiD of
the gofpel (as hiither obferves) is in thefe pronouns,
MEVM, NOSTRUM, My and Our, He bids
us read thefe with great emphafis. 'Tolle meiim, &
tolle Deiun, fays another, 'Take away property, and
you take away God, take away Chrifi. It is the
common diale(5l of faith in fcripture, to vent itfelf
in words of appropriation ; it has a peculiar plea-
fure and fatisfa<5tion in thefe words, my and our,
and rolls them in its mouth like a fweet morfel.
See how fweetly David harps upon this firing,
Pfal. xviii. i, 2. no lefs xhzn eight times in a breath,
does he repeat his appropriating My, my firength,
my rock, my fortrefs, my deliverer, my God, my
buckler, the horn of 7ny f ah at ion, and my high
tower. Yea, fo tenacious is faith in this matter,
that it will maintain its Mys in the face of a
hiding and frowning God, Pfal.xxn. i. My God,
my God, why hafl thou forfakcn me ? My is a word
of faith, fays Flavelon the text; (o Ifa. xlix. 19.
Zion [aid, the Lord hath forfake?i me, and my God
hath forgotten. But I need not ftand to offer more
inftances of this kind, feeing, as one obferves,
faith in fcripture expreffes itfelf by thefe two
words,- my and our, no lefs than above 300 times.
Thus you fee what kind of affurance there is in
faith, namely, an affurance or certainty of afhit

and

opened aiid applied, 233

\and application. The firft may be found in a great
rneafurc, and in fome fort in devils and repro-
bates : the laft is of a diflinguifhing nature, and
fcculiar only to the faith of God's eled:, and of
Ins operation j tho' indeed fome (hadow of it alfo
may be found in the prefumptuous faith of hypo-
crites, of which we may fpeak afterward. Know-
ledge and aflent are preparatory toward that ap-
plication, wherein the very foul of faving and
j unifying faith doth lye. And when we fpeak of
them one after another, it is not as if they were
really feparate in the foul's exercife : for I take
them up as one complex undivided ad: of the
foul ; in the very firft view and revelation of
Chrift by the word and fpirit, the foul cannot fliun
to cry out with T^homas, My Lord, my God. I do
not mean, that the foul always in the firft moment
of believing runs that length, as to expreis itfelt
fo with the mouth : But I mean, this is what
faith would fay, could it get up its head from
under the load of unbelief and indwelling cor-
ruption, wherewith it is overpov/ered.

Propojition 2. I offer, is this, T^hat there is a great^
difference betwixt the affurance of faith (which I
have now defcribed) and the affurance of fenfe,
which follows upon faith. The affurance of fuith
is a dired:, but the afurance of fenfe is a reflex
ad of the foul. The affurance of faith liath its
obje6l and foundation from without^ but that of fenfe
has them within. The objeB of the affurance of
faith is a Chrift revealed, promifed, and offered in the
word', the ohjeB of the affurance of fenfe is a Chrifl
formed within us by the holy fpirit. The affurance
of faith is the caufe, that of fenfe is the effeB j the
the firft is the 7^oot, and the other is the fruit.
The affurance of faith eyes the promife in its

liability.

2 34 ^^ Ajjiirance of Faith ^

ftability, flowing from the 'veracity of the promi-
fer ; the affarance of fcnfe eyes the promife in its
actual acco7npliJ}jment . By the alTurance of faith,
Ahrakam believed, that he fiould ha-oe a fon in hi^
old age, bccaufc God who cannot He had promifed ,
but by the affarance of fenfe, he beheved it whei
he got Ifaac i?i his arms. By tlie firft, Noah was
fure, that he and his family fhould not perifli :ii
the waters of die deluge ; but by the iafl, he was
affured of it, vfhen the ark refced upon the mcun-
tains of Ararat, and the waters were v/ith-
drawn again into their proper chanels. By the
former the believing Ifraclites were affured, that
Canaan fhould be their poffeffion, becaufe God
had made a grant and a deed of gift of it to them
in his promife ; by the latter they were affured of
it, when they paffed "Jordan, overthrev/ the old
inhabitants, and divided the good land by lot, as
the inheritance of the tribes of Jfrael. Time v/ould
fail me, to illuffrate this matter by inilances that
Hand upon record in the facred oracles. Faith
aflerts its interefl: in a future good, becaufe pro-
mifed; Senfe afferts its intereff in a prefent good,
becaufe pofjejj'ed: Faith fays, My God will hear
me ; Senfe fays. My God hath heard me. Faith
fays. He will bring me forth to the light, and I
fnall behold his righteoufnefs ; Setfe fays. He hath
brought me forth to the light, and I do behold
his righteoufnefs. Agoim, faith is converfant about
things that are ?7ot J'een, and hoped for 5 fenfe is
converfant about things feen, and aBually enjoyed.
Faith fays, He is ray God, becaufe he has faid in
the covenant, / will be their God : Senfe again fays,
He is n?y God, becaufe I knew my foul has faid un-
to the Lord, he is m^y Lord. Faith affures the

foul

opened and applied. 235

foul of theremiffion of fins in the blood of the lamb,
becaufe God has faid, / will be merciful to their
unrighteoufnefs^ their fms and iniquities ivill I remem^
ber no more : Senfe again alfures the foul of re-
mifiion, becaufe of the ijitimations of pardon in
fome fenfibk fmiles of the Lord's countenance,
and fome faving operations of his grace. By
faith I believe my falvation, becaufe it is ^z/rr/'^y^'*^,
promifed, and pqff'tjsd by my glorious head Chrijl
yefiis : but by fenfe I believe my falvation, be-
caufe I find this falvation already begun in a work
of regeneration, and advancing in a work of fanc-
tification, Being confident of this very things that
he who hath begun the good work, will carry it on
to the day of the Lord Jefus.

Propofition 3. The a[jurance of faith will ft and
its ground, when the affiirance of fenfe is quite loft
and gone. A clear inftance of this we have in
Chrifi, when there was a total eclipfe of fenfible
manifeftations, yea nothing but a louring cloud of
vindictive wrath furrounding and breaking upon
him as our furetyj yet, at that fame time, the
afurance of faith maintains the claim, and repeats
it, faying, My God, my God-, upon the ground
not only of his eternal fonfhip, but of the pro-
mife the Father had made to him, Ffal. Ixxxix.
26. He ftjall cry unto me, my God, my Father, and
the rock of my Jahation, And left you fhould
think, this was a thing peculiar unto the head, fee
an inftance of it alfo in the church, which is his
body, Ifa, xlix. 14. Zion faid. The Lord .hath
forfaken, and my God hath forgotten. Upon
which the holy Rutherfoord fweetly gloffes to this
purpofe, " He may be a forgetting and with-
^' drawing God to my feelings and yet to m.y

" faith

236 Hoe Ajjurance of Falth^

" faith, my God, and my Lord ; even as the
" wife may believe the angry and forfaking hus-
" band is ilill her hufcand." Hcman, Pfalm
Ixxxviii. is fo far deferted as to fennble prefence,
that he is, as to his own feeling, laid in the l(nv-
eji pit^ in darknefs^ in the deeps ^ verfe 6. Yea,
^erfc 7. he adds, T^hy wrath lieih hard upon me^
thou haji affii^ed me with all thy waves. And,
verfes i^, 16, 17. IVhile I fuffer thy terrors I am
dijiraSted, ihy fierce wrath goeth over me : thy ter-
rors have cut me off ; they come round about me like
waters^ they compafs me about together. What low-
er could a child of God be brought on this fide
hell ? and yet faith, amidil all thefe clouds, fleps
in with its appropriating miy, verfe i . O Lord God
of my fahation. And truly, if there was not
feme exhilerating certainty in faith, adling upon
the unalterable covenant, in fuch cloudy and dif-
mai difpenfations, I know not what could keep
the believer from running into utter defpair ; but
the grace of faith will venture the foul's fafety up-
on th.e ftrong plank of the promife, even when
fenlible confoiations are quite daflied to pieces by
the angry billov/s of outward and inward trouble,
like two feas meeting upon the believer. David
had the experience of this, Pfahn xxvii. 13. /
bad fainted, unlefs I had believed to fee the goodtufs
cf the Lord in the land of the living. Hence alfo it
is, that the Lord direfts his people to the exercife
of faith in fuch a cafe, Ifa. 1. 10. Who is ajnong
yoit that feareth the Lord, that oheyeth the voice of
bis fervant, that walketh in darhzefs, and hath no
light ? Let him triifi in the name of the Lord, and
fay himfclf upon his God.

Propoftion 4th. When we fpeak of the affu-
rance of faith, it is not to be fo underftood, as if

every

opened and applied, 237

every one that has faith were ' perfeBly free cf doubt-
ing. This, I apprehend, is what leares many at
tliis dodlrine of the ajjuraiice oi faith , they think
tliat, if there be an afurance in the e[[ence Oi faith y
then it would follow, that every true believer be-
hoved always to have fuch afiirance as to be free of
'doubting ; which lies crofs to the experience of the
generation of the righteous. But this objedion
goes upon a palpable miftake, as if faith and a
believer were one and the fame thing. We do in-
deed affert, that there is no doubting in faith, for
faith and doubting are commonly in fcripture di-
redtly oppofed one to another j but though there
be no doubting in faith, yet there is much doubting
in the believer, by reafon of prevailing unbelief
and indwelling fin. If it were true, that afjurance
is not of the nature of faith, becaufe the believer
is not always aflured, by the fame way of reafon-
ing it would follow, that reftlng is not of the na-
ture of faith, becaufe the believer is not always
adlually flaying and refling himfelf on the Lord :
or that trufilng is not of the nature of faith, be-
caufe the believer is not always trufhig. It may
be as well argued, that feeing is not of the nature
of the eye, becaufe fometimes the eye-lids are
clofed : or that heat is not of the nature oi fire,
becaufe its heat is not perceptible by reafon of the
aflies wherewith it is covered : or that light is not
of the nature of the fun, becaufe fometimes it is
eclipfed by the interpofing 7noo7i. P.emove the
aflies, and the heat of fire will appear ; remove
interpofing bodies, and the fun will have light ;
open the eye-lids, and the eye will fee : fo, do but
remove ignorance, unbelief, and other incumber-
ances of corruption from faith, and fee what the
nature of it is then. For it is of the nature of

faith

238 The Affurance of Faith,

faith In the akftra^^ that the prefent queflion is;
and not what lodges in the believer who hath faith.
In the believer there is as it were the company of
two anjiieSy grace and corruption, love and enmi-
ty, repentance and impenitence, faith and unbe-
lief 5 but thefe are not to be confounded together,
becaufe they are in the fame fubjed:. Vv^e muft
not exclude complacency and delight in the Lord,
out of the nature of love, becaule, through re-
maining enmity and corruption, his love is fo over-
powered, that he cannot perceive any fuch thing
in him, but rather the reverfe of love : the fame
may be faid of other graces. So here we mufl
not conclude, that there is nothing of this apflica-
tory ajjurance in faith, becaufe of prevailing unbe-
lief, and doubts flowing therefrom.

The 5/^ PropofitioJi is this, that as there is a
great difference betwixt the my of faith, and the
my of Senfe ; fo there is yet a far greater difference
betiveen the my of faith (or of true fenfe flowing
from it) and the my of prefiunption. Prefwnpttwiis
confidence has its 7;n''s, as well as faith and well-
grounded experience -, as we fee plain in the
cafe of Balaa?n, Numb. xxii. 18. If Balaac
would give me Iiis houfe full of gold, I cannot
go beyond the word of the Lord my God. Now,
fay you, fince a prefumptuous confidence may
fpeak in the dialed: of true faith and experience,
wherein lies the differenced This is a very ma-
terial and momentous queflion j and, with a de-
pendence on the Father of lights, I fliall attempt
a re-folution of it in the few following particulars.

I . The affiirance of faith receives and applies
Chrifl to the foul in particular^ as he lies in the
revelation and graiit that is made of him to finners
in the word^ which is the immediate ground of

faith 5

opened and applied, 239

faith J whereas prefumptuous confidciicc^ though it
claims an intereft in him, yet does it not upon this
bottom, or in God's method and way of convey-
ance. The Apoflle tells us, Rom, x. 8. that Chrift
and his righteoufnefs and falvation are brought nigh
iDito lis in the word of faith. What is the defign
of a covenant of grace, and of thefe declarations,
offers and promifes of grace, that are made to us
in the glorious gofpel ? but jufl to bring Chrift fo
near to us, as we by believing may come to apply
him and his v/hole fulnefs to our own fouls, Joh7z
XX. 3 I . T^hefe things are ivj-itte?!^ that ye might be-
lieve that Jefiis is the ChriJ}^ the Son of God, and
that belieinng ye might have Ife through his name.
If we would find Chriil and eternal life in him,
we need not ajcend to heaven, or defend into hell in
fearch of him, as the Apoflle fpeaks, Kom. x. 6,
7. But we are to fearch for him in the fcriptures,
for thefe are they that teftify of him. Chriil is
brought near to us in the teftimojiy or record of
God in the \^''ord, where he gives us eternal life in
his Son Chrift Jefiis, i John v. 7. Now faith in
its diredl a(5t, I fay, takes Chriil, and claims him
upon this grant and gift that is made of him in
the word of grace, and upon no other foundation
will it venture to alTert its intereil in him, like an
honeil man, who will not intermeddle with goods,
money, or the eilate of another, unlefs he have a
charter, bond, teilament, promife, or fome fuch
fecurity, upon which he may do it warrantably,
without vicious intromiffion : whereas the thief
and robber puts to his hand, without looking after
any fuch warrant 5 if he get v/hat he has, a mind
for, any how, he is eafy. * Here lies a fatal flaw

* See Durham on I/aiah yA, Sermon V. IzJh Par^grc-ph.

240 The AJfurance of Faith^

in the faith of many hearers of the gofpel ; they
grafp at Chrift and his falvation, but they overleap
the gift and grant of him in the word, as the im-
mediate foundation of their faith. If we confult
the experience of the faints in fcripture, we fhall
find their faith terminating immediately upon the
word : In his word do I hope, fays David, Remejn^
her the word on which thou haft caufed me to hope.
I rejoice in thy word^ as one that findeth great fpciL
Their faith did come by hearing or reading the
wo7'd. This is the chariot in which the Lord rides,
when he prefents himfelf to us as the objed; of
our faith and truft ; and therefore that faith which
overlooks the promife and offer of the gofpel, is but
2. prcfzimptuGiis faith. Gilead is ?7tine^ Manajjdh is jni'/te,
fays David, in that forecited Ixth Pfalm, BecaufeGod
hath fpoke?i in his holinejs : fo fays an applying faithy
pardon is mine, peace is mine, grace is mine, glo-
ry is mine in Chrift ; yea, God hirnfelf is my God,
becaufe God hath made over himfelf, and all thefe
things in Chrifl to me, in the covenant of promife,
or teftament of my elder brother, fealed and con-
firmed by his blood. But, fay you, may not a
prefumptuous hypocrite pretend to bottom his faith
upon the promife, and claim an intereft in him,
even upon that ground ? An anfwer to this leads
me to a

2d Difference between the fny of faith, and the
my of prefumptuous confidence, namely this, that
though the prefumptuous perfon may ru72 away with
the promJfe, yet he does not embrace the promife
as it is in fefus, or as jefus is in it. This is a my-
fi:eiy which only can be explained to purpofe by
him who openeth the hook, and lofes the feven fcah
thereof The view I have of it, you may take up
as follows J the covenant, and all the prcmifes of

It,

opened and applied, 241

it, are made to Chrift as the firfl heir, both by-
birth and purchafe 3 he is God's firft boruy and
therefore the heir of the inlieritalice of eternal life.
But befides, as thie jhond Adam^ by his obedience
and death, having fuiiilied the kvy, and fatisfied
iuftice ; the promife of hfe, which v/as forfeited
by the fin and difobedience of the jirfi Adam,
comes to be fettled upon him, and his (zt& in him.
Now matters (landing thus, the foul in applying
of the promife, takes its title thereto, not upon the
ground of any thing in itfelf, but comes in only
upon Cbriffs right a?jd title j his right coiifncfs is the
only proper y intitUrig^ ineritGriciis condition of the co-^
venanty and of all the promifes thereof. Here lies
the failure in prefumptuous confidence, that the
man being never cleanly beat off from Ada??is co-*
'venanty he is always fcvking to found his title to
the promife in himfclfy fome good condition or qua-*
lijicatio7i isorciight in him, or done by him. Thus
many attempt to enter themfeivcs heirs to the pro-
mifes, and to eternal life, but fiiali never be able j
Why ? Becaufe they do not by faith enter them-
felves heirs in Chrifi:, or upon his right and title :
And another foundation can no man lay ; for the gift
of God is eternal life, through fcfus Chrift our Lord*
Thus, I fay, prefumptiiQiis faith does not embrace
the promife as it is in Chrift, in 'whom all the pro-^
mifes are yea, and in him Amen. And then, I fay,
he does not embrace the promife as jejiis is in it ;
for as all the promifes are in Chrifi, fo Ch?-ifl is in
all the promifes. What is it that is bequeathed
in his tefi:ament, but himfelf and all his fulnefs ?
He was the great mercy promifed to the fathers.
When the covenant was promulgated unto Adam,
and afterward unto Abraham, w^hat elfe was it,
but jufi: a promife of Chriil ? And when, in pro-

R ccfs

24 2 iTje Affurance of Faithy

cefs of time, the covenant of grace came to be fur-
ther opened in a variety of promifes, what were
they all, but Chrift, and the grace that is in him,
parcelled out to us, that we by faith might apply
him, and the grace that is in him, according to
our need ? And hence it is, that the believer in
applying the |>romife, finding Chrifh in it, he eats
it, and it is to him the joy and 7'ejoicing of his
heart -, he finds the Lord in his own word of
grace, and this makes it relieving and comforting
to his foul ; he drinks in the fincere milk of the
word, becaufe tlierein he tajies that the Lord is gra-
cious. But now prefumptuoiis faith is more taken
up with the naked promifes, than with feeding the
foul with Chrift, in and by the promife. A man,
that is poffeffed of Chrift by faith, has not
Chrift and his promife by him, as a man has mo-
ney lying by him in his coifer j he has not the
covenant and promifes, as a man has his bonds
and charters in his cabinet, which perhaps he will
not look to once in a year : no, but he has Chrijl
in the "word of grace, as a man has his bread by
"him, which he is daily feeding and living upon :
hence this applicafory faith is called an eating the
flefi, and a drinking the blood of Chrift -, which ex-
preflion implies fuch an application of Chrift to
ourfelves, as carries foid-nourijhment along with it.
True faith roots the foul in Chrift, juft as a tree is
rooted in the ground j the prolifick virtue of the
earth enters into the tree, and the tree at the fame
time ftrikes and fpreads its libres into the earth,
and draws fap and moifture therefrom, fending a
digefted nouriftiment through the whole, where-
by it is made to grow and bring forth fruit : fo
here, in believing, the fj^irit of life which is in
Chrift Jefus enters into the foul 5 and at tlie fame

time.

opened and applied, 243

time, there Is as it were a fprigg and fibre paffing
from every faculty of tlie foul, ftrlking into Chriji^
and drawing a digeftcd fap from him, whereby
the foul is made to grow and flourifli in grace and
hollnefs. -Hence we are faid to be bis ivorkman-
fiip, created in Chrifi Jejus unto good works. And,
They that be planted in the houfe of the Lord, do jlou-
rijh in the courts of our God.

(3.) True faith receives and applies Chrifi ac-
cording to the order that God has laid in his offices,
but prefumptuous faith inverts that order. The or-
der that God has laid in the execution and applica-
tion of the offices of Chrilf, is this. Chrifi comes
by his word and fpirit, as a prophet^ enlightning
the finner's mind with the knowledge of his lofl
eflate by nature, and the way of his recovery thro'
his atoning blood and fatisfaclion ; upon which, the
foul, by faith, turns inta him as a prieji, taking
fandluary under the covert of his everlafling righ-
teoufnefs j and fo fubmits unto him as a ki?2gy re-
ceiving the law from his mouth, and yielding itfelf
unto his government, from a principle of gratitude
to him who has bought it with a price. But now,
the prefumptuous faith of the legalifi inverts and dif-
turbs this comely order laid by infinite wifdom a-
mong the offices of Chrifi : for, in his way of ap-
plying Chrifi, he begins with the kingly ofice^ pre-
tending to obey him as a law-giver ; and, upon
this ground, expeds that Chrifi will fave him as a
priejl^ by his righteoufiiefs ; and thus makes his
own obedience the ground of the imputation of the
righteoufnefs of Chrifi. And, what elfe is this,
but to bring ?noney a?id price ? contrary to the ex-
prefs command of Ot>d, Ifa. Iv. i. Npthing can
be of a more pernicious tendency toward the over-
throw of the freedom of God's grace, in the great

R 2 affair

244 ^^ yJJfti7^a7tce of Faith ^

affair of juftification and falvation. Hence it is
the apoftie fo much enveighs againft this method of
feeking juftification, in the Galations-, infomuch
that he tells them exprefly, that by this way they
made themfelves debtors to do the ivbole law ; yea,
fays he, Cb^Ji is become of no effeSi to you ; whofoever
cfyou are jiiftified by the laWy ye are fallen frorn grace ^
Gal. V. 2, 3, 4. This method of inverting the or-
der of Chrift's offices, and making the firft ad of
faith to terminate upon him as a king^ as it is a way
of thinking moft agreeable to nature, which runs
with a mighty biafs towards Adam^ covenant ; fo,
I judge, nature is much fortified in this way of
taking up the method of falvation by Chrift, by
the ftrain of fome mens dod:rine in our day, who
inculcate faith and repentance as new precepts given
out by Chrift in the goipel, which were never re-
quired in the moral law of the ten commandments.
For, if this be fo, then inevitably we muft firft o-
bey Chrift as a hngy by repenting and believing,
in order to our being juftified by him as a prieji :
befides many othes dangerous confequences which
are unavoidable upon this new law-fcheme ; all
which are avoided by teaching, with the ftrain of
orthodox droineSy that there are no precepts in the gof-
pely ftridily taken ; and, that Chrift in the gofpel
giveth no new lawsj but enforceth the old law. Viz,
the f?wral, which being adopted unto the gofpel-
difpenfation, obligeth us to believe in Chrift upon
his being revealed to us in the gofpel, and confe-
quently to repent alfo in an evangelical manner.
For that thefe duties of faith and repentance, as to
their effence, are required in the very firft comniand-
7nent of the moral law, is indifputably evident -,
and I do think it ftrange to find it controverted by
any who embrace, and own the dodtrine of the
I church

opened a?id applied, 245

church of Bcotlaiid^ particularly the Larger Cate^
chijh^ where that point is plainly determined, in
the explication of tlie aforefaid fir ft commandment.
But it is not proper to infift on this controverfy in a
difcourfe of this nature ; if needs be, it may be
difcourfed apart.

(4.) Another difference betwixt the ;;;^' of faith, .
and the 7ny of prefumption, is this, That the A/fu-
ranee of faith will maintain its claim^ and humble
confidence, even under fad challenges^ and a deep
and abafing fenfe of much prevailing iniquity ;
whereas prefumptuous confidence fiiccumbs and fails
upon the prevalency of fin. The reafon of this is,
becaufe the ground of prefumptuous confidence is
^within the man ; fome good difpofition and quali-
fication which he finds within him, as he appre-
hends, which being daflied by the eruption of his
reigning luftSj he has no more to look to, the
foundation of his confidence is gone. But now,
faith builds and bottoms its confidence, not within,
but on fomething without^ namely, the everlafing
righuoiifnefs of the Lo?'d fefus 3 and the mercy of
God running in this channel, exhibited in the word
of grace : here it is, that faith fets down its foot,
and upon this foundation it ftands, againft which
the gates of hell cannot prevail : and thus, having
the ground of its confidence from without, it is not
fliaken with every infurred:ion from within. An
inflance whereof we fee in David, Pfal. Ixv. 2. the
holy man, in the fir ft part of the verfe, cries out,
under a fenfe of the ftrength, power and guilt of
fin, iniquities prevail agai?i/l me. Well, but what
fays faith in fuch a cafe ? As for our tranfgrejjions,
thou jhalt purge them away. Another inltance of
the like nature, we fee in the fame holy man, Pfal.
cxxx. We find him verfe 3 . under fuch a fenfe of

R 3 fin

246 7Z^ AJfurance of Faith ^

fin and guilt, that, viewing himfelf as he flood In
the eye of the law and juilice, he cannot iliun to
own, If thou^ Lord,, flmldft mark iniquity^ O Lord^
who Jt:aU ft and ? Well, But where does Davids
faith find a Handing in fuch a cafe? only in the
mercy and grace of a reconciled God in Chrifi: ;
and therefore he adds, Bui there is foj'givejicfs 'with
thee, that thou may be feared -, and plenteous redemp-
tion, that thou may be fought unto. I do own,
that a real believer may be fadly fhaken, as to the
confidence of his intereft in Chrift, under prevail-
ing iniquity j but this certainly is his infirmity, and
not his faith. Many real believers live more by
fenfe than by faith j and hence it comes, that they
are foon fhaken, whenever fsnfible experience is
overclouded, under the fenfe of prevailing iniquity,
tho' the pain of it is a jufl correction of his fol-
ly. Whenever faith recovers from under the fit of
unbelief, and views what the foul is, and has, in
Chrifi:, and in the covenant, it recovers its flability
and confidence, and withal brings into the foul
ftrength againft corruption, fo that it goes out a-
gainft it like a giant refrefhed with wine. But, fay
you, may not prefumptuous faith recover its con-
fidence alfo ? I anfwer, no doubt it may : but then,
the difference lies here. True faith goes to work in
a quite different way, in order to the foul's re-
covery from that which the prefumptuous Legalift
takes. When the terrors of the law, or challenges
of confcience have, at any time, battered down pre-
fumptuous confidence, the man goes to work, and
fills up the hole, that the law has made in his foul,
with the new earth of his own obedience, reforma-
tion, duties and the like, and with this untemper-
ed mortar he daubs and makes up the breachmad e
in his confcience -, but, on the other hand, thougk

the

ope72ecl and applied, 247

the believer be as diligent In the way of duty as the
other, yet nothing in heaven or earth can fatisfy
him under challenges, or afford him eafe and quiet,
but Chriil; himfelf, and his righteoufnefs appre-y
hended and applied by faith : no balm but that of
Gilead can cure his wound ; he fetches his healing,
only from under the wings of the fun of righteouf-
nefs, Phil. ill. 8, 9. All is but lofs and dung in
comparifon of this.

There are feveral other differences might be gi-
ven, between the niy of faith, and the my of pre-
fumption, if I wxre not afraid of being tedious.
Only, in fliort, the more of the affurance of faith,
or yet of well-grounded experience, the more low-
linefs, humility, and felf-abafement. The higher
that the foul is exalted in and by Chrift, the lower
does it fink in its own eyes, faying with Davidy
when God promifed to build him a fure houfe, and
that the Mejjiah fhould fpring of his loins, What
am /, or my father s houfe that I am brought hitherto'^
The poor believer, in this cafe, fees himfelf to be
fuch a miracle of rich and fovereign grace, that he
is even wrapped up in a filent wonder, and put to an
everlafting fland, that he knows not what to fay,
And^ what can David fay vtore ? And, is this the-
manner of man, 0 Lord God? But now, the more
of a prefumptuous confidence, the more pride and
felf-conceit, like Laodicea, I am rich and increafed
%vith goods y and ftand in need of nothing -, accom«
panied with an undervaluing of others in compa^
rifon of themfelves, like the proud PharifeCy God,
I thank thee, I am 7iot as other men, or yet as ^his
Publican,

Again, prefumptuous affurance cherlfhes fome^f-
cret and beloved idol; The man fpares fome right-
hand or right-eye fin, and commonly his deceitful

R 4 heart

248 The Affurance of Faith ^

heart argues for its being fiiared, becaufe grace doth
abound : but now true faith and experience purify
the heartj and engage the man to an impartial
and univcrfal oppoiition to all fin, as diJJ:onozirable
to God, and grie'vwg to liis fpirit ; and readily he
bends his principal force againfl thefe lins, which
receives the greatefl advantages againfl him, by in^
tereft, cuftom, conflitution, or education : and the
confideration of abounding grace is fo far from
encouraging him in fni, that it teaches him to tieny
(ill ur:godU?2efs and ircrldly hijis, and to walk joberly^
right eoiijly, and gcdly in this prefent world.

Lajily^ The 7ny oi faith ^ or folid experience, is
always accompanied with much love to the perfon
of Chrif^ and refignation of foul to him ; for faith
worketh by love : and therefore, at the fame time
that the foul is enabled to fay. My beloved is jnine,
it cannot fhun to add, And I am his. One fall fay ^
I am the Lord's, The man prefents himfeli" a //-
ving facrifce unto God^ holy and acceptable ^ which is
his reajonable fervice. But now, as one well ob-
ferves, prefumption is lame of one hand ; it has a
hand to take pardon, to take heaven, and the be-
nefits of Chrifl ; but as it has no true love to his
perfon, fo it has not a hand to give or refign the
whole man to the Lord, to be for him, and not for
another ; and tlie plain reafon of this is, that the
power of natural enmity was never broken, and
the man is married to the law, and to the hifls alfo.
But paffing this, I proceed to

D I S^

opened and applied, 249

DISCOURSE IV.
Of the FULL AJurance of Faith.

TH E third general head propofed in the me-
thod, was to fpeak a little of the full af-

fitrance of faith -, for there is a plain gradation
in the apoftle's way of fpeaking ; there is faith ^
then the ajfurance of faith j and then th.Q.full af-
furance of faith. Having fpokeri of the two iirft
degrees, I proceed now to the lall and higheil de-
gree of faith.
Before I go on dired:ly to fhew, what this full af-

fiiraiice of faith is, I preniife thefe two or three
things, which I conceive to be imported in this
exprelTion of the fpirit of God. (i.) I premife,

■ that the faith of every believer is not of the fame

Ji^z^e and Jirength. Some have a ftrong and others
have a 'weak faith : yea, the faith of the ftrongeft
believer, like the moon, has its waxings and wean-
ingsj or like the fea, its ebbings and liowings.
Altho' every believer be in Chriji^ yet every be-
liever has not the fame meafure of faith ; every
ftar is in the heavens, tho' every flar be not of the
fame magnitude. The rounds of Jacob's ladder
were not all at the top, tho' every round was a flep
towards heaven ; fo, tho' every faith be not tri-
umphing in a full affurance, yet every true faith is
bending towards it. You may fee one believer
under a full gale of the fpirit of faith, crying,
with fob xix. 25. I kno%v that my redeemer liveth :
w^hile another labours under fuch difcouragements,
that, like the Publican^ he jlands afar off, with the
tear in his eye, crying, God have mercy upon me a
finner^ You may fee one faying with Faul, He

loved

250 The Ajfurance of Faiths

loved me, and gave hhnjelf for 7Jie, another, thro'
the prevalence of unbelief, faying, Is his 77je?ry
clean gone ? Hath he forgotten to be gracious ? Per-
haps you fhall find one believer furmounting all
fears, faying with the apoflle, Who fJ:all feparate
me from the love of Chrift ? &c. while another is
combating with many doubts, ready to raze foun-
dations, faying, 7 am caft out of thy fight -, and all
men are liars that will fay otherwife, the prophets
of God not excepted. It is with believers, as it
is with children in a family, one perhaps is lying
in the cradle, another led by the mother or nurfe,
another can walk alone, a fourth com.e to fuch full
flrength that he is able for work and bufinefs ; thus
in the houfliold of God there are babes, young men
and fathers. (2.) I premife, that it is the duty of
every believer, yea of the weakeft, to prefs after
faith in the higheft degree of it. Hence it is that
Chrifl frequently checks his difciples for the weak-
nefs of their faith. Why ai'e ye fearfid, 0 ye cf lit-
tle faith ? 0 ye cf little faith, wherefore did ye doubt f
True faith is a progreffive thing, it goes on from
one degree to another : hence is that expreffion of
the apoille, Ron:, i. 17. ^he gofpel is the pozver of
God zmtofalvat/on, for therein is the righteoiifnefs of
God revealed from faith to faith. Faith in its nrfh and
weaker, and faith in its repeated and ftronger act-
ings, feeds and centers upon the righteoufnefs of
God's operation and imputation, for acceptance,
pardon, and falvation. It is of the nature of all
true grace, particularly of the grace of faith, to
breathe after its own increafe and perfedlion : hence
is that pra3'er of the difciples. Lord, increafe our
faith. And that of the poor m.an in the gofpel,
- / believe. Lord, help my unbelief. We muft forget
things that are behind, and reach forth unto things

that

opened and applied, 251

that are before: The path of the jiifi is as theJJnni?ig
light, which fiines more and more unto the per fe 51 day,
(3.) I premife, that the certainty or alTurance of
application, as explained above, ebbs or flows ac-
cording to the flrength or weaknefs of the afTent of
faith. That there are degrees of alTurance, will
be controverted by none, who have any knowledge
either of divinity or philofophy. The very words
oftheapoflle, in the text, import, that we are not
to reft in a lower, but ought to prefs after the
higheft degree of the alTurance of faith : and the
apoftle accounts it a great blelTing to the Thejfah-
nians, that they had much alTurance,^ i T^hcjf. i. 5.
plainly intimating that fome true affurance might
be in a lefs degree. Now, I fay, this alTurance of
application bears a proportion unto faith's alTent,
and waxes or weans, as it is ftrong or feeble ; fo
that a ftrong alTent has a ftrong application, and a
weak alTent a weak application.

Thefe things premifed, I proceed to enquire,
what this ///// ajjiirance of faith is ? Or, wherein
it confifts ? And in one word, I conceive, it lies in
fuch a frm and fixed perfiiafion, confidence or trufi
in thefaithfidnefs of a God in Chrifi, pledged in his co-
ijcnant or promife, as overcomes and tramples upon all
difiiculties, and improbabilities ; all doubts and fears,
as to the aBual performance of what is promifed in
God's time and way ; and all this with particular ap-
plication to the foul itfelf. This defcription I
would illuftrate and explain in its feveral branches,
were it not done upon the matter on the former
two heads, this being nothing but a higher degree
of the felf-lame faith formerly defcribed. Such an
act of faith we find put forth by Abraham, Rom.
iv. 20, 21. where we are told that he ft agger ed not.
at the promife of God through unbelief but was ftrong

252 Tloe Ajjiirance of Faith ^

in the faith ^ gi^oing glory to God-, being FULLY per-
fuaded, that what he had promifed he was able al-
io to perform. This full affiirance of faith, tho'
mountains of impediments were in its way, would
make no more of them, than if they were a plain j
it overleaps and overlooks them all, fixing its eye
only upon the power and faithfulnefs of the bcfled
fromifa% as we fee clearly exemplified in the cafe
of Abraham. Plis own body was dead and incapa-
ble of procreation ; Saralos womb was barren, and
incapable of conception ; fenfe and reafon in this
cafe would have been ready to conclude, that it
was impofiible ever Abraham fliould have a fon ;
but we are told, vejfe 19. that he entirely abftrac-
ted from all confiderations of that kind, Bciug not
weak in faith, he confJered not his own body, ?iow
dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither
yet the deadnefs of Sarah's womb. He would not fo
much as liilen unto the furmifes of carnal rea-
fon J flefli and blood are put out of doors, and he
refts with an affured confidence, without any
doubting or hefitation, upon the fidelity of the pro-
mifer ; being certain, that God would do to him in
particular, as he had faid, when the time of the
vifion fliould come. \\\ like manner we find, that
after Abraham had gotten his beloved Ifaac the fon
of the promife, what a terrible fliock, may one
think, would it be to his faith in the promife,
when God commanded him to take Ifaac, of whom
the promifed feed, Chriji, VvT^s to come, and offer
him upon one of the mountains of ilfcr/^/? / Gen.
22. Reafon here miight be ready to objed:, and
that not without great colour of religion. Can God,
who has fo fevereiy forbidden murder, require me
to imbrevv^ my hands in the blood of my own fon ?
Will not fuch a thing be an eternal reproach to

Abraham

opened and applied. 253

Abraham and his religion ? What will the Egyp-
tians lay, and the Cannanitcs^ and PcrizziteSj which
dwell in the land? What will Sarah fay, and how
lliall I ever look her in the face ? But efpecially,
what fliall become of the promijc^ and the vera-
city of him that made it, faying, in Ifaac fiall thy
feed be called^ Surely might unbelief and fenfe fay,
either this command is a delufion, or elfe the pro-
mife is a lye. But Abraham had a full aiTurance
of faith as to the liability of the promife, and
therefore he would upon all hazards obey the com-
mand of a promifing God : he was fully per-
fuaded, that though Ifaac fliould be facrificed and
burnt into aflies, yet out of the very alhcs of his
facrificed fon, God could, and actually would raife
up Ifaac again, and fo accomplifh his own word
of promife. Abraham^ on the account of this his
Roble and gallant faith is fitly called the father of
the faithftdj his faith being propofed as a pattern
to all others for their imitation; and every true be-
liever is, on this fcore, a child of Abraham. And
let none imagine, that they are not obliged to be-
lieve with fuch a faith ^s Abraham had ; for the
apoftle exprelly tells us, that the hiflory of his
faith ftands upon record in fcripture, not for his
fake alone, but for us alfo, that we, after his exam-
ple, may be encouraged to believe on him that raifed
up jefus our Lord from the dead, Pvom. iv. 23, 24.
ObjeB. O fay you, if I had as good a ground
for my faith as Abraham had 3 if I were as fure
that' the promife were to 7?ie, as Abraham was, I
think I could believe with a full afllirance of faith,
as he did : but there lies the flrait. I anfwer, you
and I have as good a ground of faith as ever A-
hraham had : Abraham had a promiiing God in
ChriH to trufb, and fo have we ; you have the

lame

254 ^^ Ajjiirance of Faith ^

fame God, the fame Chrift, the fame covenant,
the fame promife, as Abraham had. But fay you,
God fpake to Abraham in particular^ by name^
when he gave him the promife, faying, In thy feed
JImU all the nations of the earth be blejj'ed. I anfwer,
although you be not defigned by name and fir-
name, as Abraham was, yet a promifing God in
Chrift, addreifes himfelf as particularly to you
in the ^word of grace, and difpenfation of the co-
venant and promife, as though he called to you
out of heaven by name and firname, faying. To
you^ (i. e. to you finners oi-Adanis race) is the
word of this falvation fent. The promife is to you
ijoho are afar off\ &c. And not only is the promife
prefented, but an exprefs com?na?id of believing fu-
peradded, requiring and binding every particular
perfon, to take hold of it, and embrace it : fo that
whatever fhifts and evafions the unbelieving and
deceitful heart may make, the promife of God
comes as clofe and home to every individual hearer
of the Gofpel, as that promife did to Abraham^
when God befpoke him with an audible voice out
of heaven j yea we have a more fare word of pro-
phecy^ unto which we wcidd do well to take heed^ as un-
to a light fining in a dark place. Further, let it
be confidered, that that promife was firft prefented
unto Abraham as the objedt and foundation of his
faith, before he could believe it, and by believing
it, became his in pofTefTion j or in believing it he
was poflefl of it as his own -, for, upon a fuppofi-
tion that he had not believed, he had never been
polTefl: of the promifed blelTing. In like manner
the promife is prefented to you as the immediate
ground of believing, and in believing, you come
to be pofleifed of the great things contained in the
promife ? but if you do not believe, you fliall not

fee

opejied and applied. 255

fee the falvation of God. Thus you fee that you
have the fame ground of faith, and the fame war-
rant for beheving, that Abraham had : and there
is nothing to keep you from a full affurance of
faith, or a believing without daggering at the pro-
mife, like Abraham, unlefs it be your own igno-
rance and unbelief.

I do own, as was hinted already, that every true
believer does not come the length of Abraham, to
believe without ftaggering ; but that is not the
queftion : the prefent quejlion is, if we -have not
now as good and firm a ground, and as good a
right to believe the promife, as Abraham had ? if
Chrift, and his falvation and righteoufnefs, be not
brought as near to us in the word of faith, as it
was unto him ? This is what none who under-
ftand the privilege of a new^ teftament difpenfation,
will adventure to deny ; yea, I w^ill adventure to
fay, that the ground of faith is laid before us un-
der the new teftament, with a far greater advan-
tage, than ever AbrahafJi had : inafmuch as the
gofpel revelation is much more clear, and brings
Chrift and his falvation much nearer to us, than
ever he was, under any period of the old teftament
difpenfation. Abraham faw his day only afar off,
whereas we live in that very day, which he faw at
fuch a prodigious diftance j and therefore we have
much more ground to believe without daggering,
than he had. And therefore, feeing ''.ve have bold-
nefs to enter into the holieft by the blood of Jcfus ; and
feeing we have a new and living way coiifecrated for
us, through the vail of his fefi , and feeing we have-
a high prieft over the houfe of God, let us draw near
with a true heart in FULL ASSURANCE
of faith.

2^6 'Tldc Affurance of Faith ^

DISCOURSE V.

Of the GRO UND S of Faith's ajfurance,

TW.'^ fourth thing propofed in the method, was
to enquire into the GROUNDS of this
dodrine , or, what it is, that faith has to hiild its
confidence upon, in drawing near to God, with
full affurance of acceptance. In anfwer to this
queflion, I fhall not at prefent enter upon the par-
ticular grounds, fpecified by the apoftle in the pre-
ceeding verfes, having difcourfed on them apart in
feveral fermons, where he fhews that every bar
and impediment on the part of law and juftice are
fully removed, through the compleat fatisfa(flion
and prevalent mediation of the Son of God, as
our great high prieft j upon which a promife of
^welcome and hearty acceptance comes forth from a
reconciled God, to every one who will come to
him in this neiv and Having way^ for grace and mer-
cy to help In a time of need. Thus you will fee
the apoftle's argument runs, by comparing this,
and the preceding verfes, with the verfe immedi-
ately following, particularly the laft claufe of it,
for faithful is he that hath promifed ; which claufe,
included in a parenthejis^ I conceive {lands con-
nedled, not only with the words immediately pre-
ceeding in the fame verfe, but with the words of
my text alfo : and the fcope of the apoflle is, as if
he had faid, let lis draw near with a true heart in
full ajfurance of faith, &c. Why ? For faithful is
he that hath projnifed us wdcoine info the holiejl, by
the blood of fefus : faithful is he that hath promJfcd
acceptance in the ?2tw and living w<ij which he hath
confe crated for us : faithful is he that liath promifed
to pity, pardon, hear and help, through the medi-
ation

opefied and applied. 2 c *r

iitlon of the great high prieji over the houfe of God.
And therefore, feeing his fiithfuhiefs is pawned
to receive us in this way of his own deviling, let
us anfwer his faitlifLdnei's, by drawiiig near in jull
afjiirance of faitk^ or v/ith a full and certain per-
fuafion, that, according to his promife, we Ihall
be accepted in the beloved, who is the door to the
holieft, the tiew ?nd living way, and the high priefl
ever the bcufe of God.

So that you fee the next, or immediiite ground of
faith, or full aflurance thereof, in drav/lng near to
God, is, Gcd's oian promife of acceptance through
Jefus Chrift, with which promifcs the word every
where abounds, Ifa. Ix. 7. Ifa. Ivi. 7. Marlz xi.
24. Matt. vii. 7. fohn xiv. 13, 14. Now Faith,
eying and pleading the promife of God in Chrifr,
has many things to bear it up unto a full alTurance ;
I fiiall inftance a few of many.

I/?, T!he grace ^ mercy ^ and goodnefs of a promifing
God, revealed and proclaijned in the ijoord, is a noble
ground for fjiners, and yet more for faints to trufl
him, and drav/ near to him through Chrift, with
a full affurance of faith, Pfahn xxxvi. 7. Hew ex-
celkfit is thy loving-kindnefs, O God! therefore the
children of men put their truft imder the foadoiD_
of thy wing:. It is crofs to the very dicStates of
nature, for a man to truft one whom he appre-
hends to be an enemy ; yea, if we have but a jea-
loufy, that one bears us an ill-will, or defigns our
hurt, we will not truft or confide in him : but
perfuade a man once that fuch a man is his friend,
that he hath an entire love and kindnefs for him,
and wants only an opportunity to do him the
greateft fervices he is capable : in that cafe lie will
truft him v/ithout hefitation. Juft. fo is it in the
cafe in hand, fo long as we conceive God.tobe an

S implacable

258 The Ajfiirance of Faith^

^fnplacable enemy^ our prejudice and enmity againft
him will remain ; and while enmity againft God
ilands in its full ftrength, it is abfolutely impoffiblc
we can have any truft or confidence in him ; in-
ftead of drawing near to him with full alTurance
of faith, we flee from him, like our firft parents,
under the awful apprehenfions of his Wrath and
vengeance : but let us once be perfuaded, that he
is a God of love, grace y pity\ and good-will in Chriji,
then, and never till then, will we put our truft
under the fhadow of his wings. And therefore,
to break the ftrength of our enmity and prejudice,
and fo to conciliate our truft in him, he is at the
greateft pains imaginable to perfuade us that he
bears a hearty liking and good-will towards us in
Chrift. And there are more efpecially thefe three
ways God takes to convince us of his good-will
toward man upon earth 5 "'^^

(i.) By folemn proclamatiom arid declarations of
his mercy and grace, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. there the
Lord pafted by Mofes, and proclaimed his naine to
him ; and what is it ? T^he Lord^ the Lord Gody
merciful and gracious, lofig-fuffering, and abtmdant
in goodnefs and triith, keeping mercy for thoufandsy
forgiving iniquity and tranfgrefjion and fin , and that
will by no means clear the guilty ; or, as fome read
it, in clearing he will clear , i. e. in clearing the fin-
ner of guilt by pardoning grace, he will clear him-
felf of injuftice ; he will make it appear, that he is
juft, when he is the juftifier of him that believes
in Jefus. Every where in fcripture is the pardon-
ing mercy of God proclaimed and prefented as an
encouragement to linners to truft in him, Pfalm
cxxx. 7. Let Ifrael hope in the Lord ; for with the
Lord there is mercy ^ and %'ith him. there is plenteous
redemption,

(2.) By

opened and applied, ^ ^ 9

(2.) V>y Jolemn oath. Left we fliould dlfbeiievG
his word, he fuperadds his oatl\ to convince 14$.
that he has no ill^willy biit a hearty good-ivill to-»
wards our falvation and happinefsj through the
new and living way, Ezek. xxxiii. 7. As I llve^
faith the Lord^ I hair no pieafure in the death of the
wicked, but that the wicked turn frcm his way
and live : turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways j
for why will ye die, 0 houfe of Ifrael ! An oath ■
among men is for confirmation of a controverted
truth, and is to tliem an end of all fir if e (fays the
apoftle) Heb. vi* i6. Well, firs, fliall the oath of
a man be fo much regarded, as to determine con-
troverfies among men ? How much more is the
oath of the great God to be regarded, pawning his
very life upon it, that he is not willing that any
fhould perifh, that he bears a hearty good-will to-
ward our falvation through Chrill ? Shall this be
any more a controverfy with us ? To entertain a
doubt or jealoufy of what htfays, is to make him
a lyar j and to doubt and diibelieve what htfivears,
is to charge a God of truth with perjury : and be-
ware of looking upon it as a matter of indiffe-
rency, whether you believe this declared good-
will, mercy, and grace of God, or not j for it
muft needs be a matter of vaft importance, where-*
in God interpofes the folemnity of an oath ; and
to think otherwife, is to charge the eternal God
with a profanation of his own name, which he
will not fuffer in others without the higheft re*
fentment.

(3.) As if his word and his oath were not
enough to convince us of his mercy, love and
good- will toward us, he has given the moil rowr-
lincing and praBical dcmonflration of it that
it was poffible for God to give; and .that is,

S 2 by

26o The AJfura?ice of Faith j

by giving kimf'Aj\ in the per Jon of his eternal, fin, to
be incarnate or mantfefied in our naticre -y jt^^ to
be made like imto us in all things^ Jin only excepted.
O how great is this myftery of godlinefs, God
manifelled in the flefli ! without controverfy, great
and unfearchablc is the myftery of love and good-
will, that {liines with a meridian luftre in an incar-
nate deity. If God had not loved M; .and born
fuch a hearty defire after our happinefs and falva-
tion J would he ever made fuch a near approach
to uSj as to dwell in our nature, when he pafled by
the nature of angels ? Yea, he was not content
to become one with us in nature; but he goes
further, and becomes one in law with us ; he puts
his name into our deht-hond, and becomes Jin for
zts, that we might be made the righteoijnejs of God in
him ; he becomes a curfe for us, that we might in-
herit the bleiling. It was a view of this delign of
love to man, fhining in the incarnation of the Son
of God, which made the angels at his birth to
break forth with that celeftial anthem, Glory to
God i?i the highejl^ on earth peace ^ and good-will to^
ward men, Luke ii. 14. Now, this love and good-
will of God toward man, in the incarnation of
his eternal fon, is propofsd in the gofpel-revela-
tion, as the greateft encouragement imaginable for
guilty rebellious fmners to lay afide their enmity
and prejudice againft God, and (o to put their
truft and confidence in him ; as is plain, like a
fun-beam, from that great text, fohnm, 16. God
fo loved the world, that he gave his only begottek
fon : why, what was God's defign in all this good-
will ? That whofoever believeth in him may 7iot perijb,
but have everlafting life. Becaufe of the excellen-
cy of this love, the fons of men do put their truft
under the ftiadow of his wings. Now, I ^^Ji,

. opeJted and applied. 261

£^ith, in drawing near to God, takes a view of
tjiis mercy and love of God in Chrift, and, upon
this ground, raifes itfelf up fometimes fo high, as
to draw near in full affurance of acceptance. For
flill it fliould be remembered, that faith, under
the condudt of the fpirit, takes up this revealed
love and mercy of God to finners, with a partis
ciilar application thereof to the foul itfelf, as was
before hinted : and what can be more encouragiuG:
thana truft without doubting of acceptance ? O then,
let Ifrael hope in the Lord^ for ivith the Lord there
is mercy. O ! do not entertain jealoulies of a God
of love, as though he were difpleafed or diifatif-
iied with you for your trufting in his mercy ; for
the Lord taketh pleafure in them that fear him, in
them that hope in his mercy.

idly^ Faith grounds its alTurance upon the infi-^
vite poui'er of a promifing God. Being once per-^
fuaded of his love, mercy, and good-will in Chrifl,
it proceeds to faften its foot upon everlaftingy?r^;?g-//j,
as fully able to fulfil v/hat he has promifed, faying,
I know that thou canft do every thing, and there is
nothing too hard for thee. Indeed infinite power,
armed with wrath and fury, ' is the terror of a
guilty finner j but infinite power animated with
infinite love, proclaiming, Fury is fiot in me^ thro*
the ranfom that I have found, is a noble ground of
truft, and may emboldi^fi a guilty fimier to take
hold of his ftrength, ^that he may make peace
with him. Hence it is, that the power of God
in Chrift is frequently prefented in fcripture as a
ground of truft. If a. 26. Urufi in the Lord for everi
for 'with the Lord fehovah is everlafiing flrength.
The faith of Abraham founded itfelf upon this
rock of the power of God, in that forecited in-
ftance, Rom, iv. when he believed without y?^^-

S 3 gering

262 7/3^ Afftirance of Faiths

germg at the promife : being iirfl perfuaded of
Gods good-will towards him, in giving him a pro-
mife of the Meffiah to fpring of his loins. In
nvhom all the natiom of the earth Jhould be blejfed; he
next fixes the eye of liis faith upon the power of
this promiiing God, and was fully ferfuadedy that
what he had promifed^ he was able alfo to perform. So,
Matt. ix. 27, we read of two bli?id men following
Chrifl, fending their cries after him, T^hou fon of
David, have mercy on iis : they firft believed that
Chrifl: was the promifed Meffiah, the fon of Da-
'vid ', and in this they faw mercy and good-will to
man upon earth, he being the feed of the woman,
that fliould bruife the head of the ferpent : well,
Chriil leads them on next, to take a view of the
power of God in him, as a further ground of trull
and confidence, "j. 28. Jefus faith unto them, be-
lieve ye that I am able to do this ? They anfwer v.
29. Tea, Lord', and thereupon Chrifl fays unto
them, be it unto you according to your faith. Thus,
I fay, faith grounds its truft, confidence or affu-
rance, in drawing near to God thro' the new and
living way, upon the power of a promifing God.

O lirs, there is no fuch diflance betwixt God's
faying and his doings as there is among men -, for
his faying is doings Pfalm xxxiii. 9. He f aid, and it
was done j he commanded and it food faf. There is
an omnipotence or almightinefs both in his word
of command, and in his word of promife, there-
fore it is called the word of his power, Heb. i. 3.
and by this powerful word, he upholds the great
fabrick of heaven and earth, that they do not re-
turn to their original nothing : and may p.ot our
faith venture to lland upon that bottom, on which
heaven and earth flands ? We are not afraid that
this ponderous globe of earth which hangs in the

liquid

opened and applied. 263

liquid air, Hide away from under our feet with its
own weight ; why ? Becaufe we believe that the
word of God's power has fixed it in its proper
place, that it fhall not be removed for ever. Why
fhouid we not refl with as much afTured confi-
dence, as to everlafling concerns, upon God's co-
venant and promife, feeing the fame power of God
is in. .the, word of promife, as in that word which
upholds the earth ? Yea, the fafhion of this world
palfeth away, but the word of the Lord, his word
of grace and promife, the foundation of faith and
ti'ufl endure th for ever. This is a confidera-
tion, which at once removes the principal difcour-
agements that faith labours under. What is it that
weakens our faith, and keeps it from arriving at a
full aifurance, as to the performance of the pro-
mife, but one of thefe two ? Either we look upon
the performance of the promife as dijjicidt^ or iin-
certain. Now, faith eying the power of a promi-
fing, -reconciled God in Chrifl, can ealily furmount
both, and conclude that the performance of the
promife is both eajy and certain, iji^ It is cer-
taifty ifor it depends upon the will of an un-
changeable God, the promife being a declaration of
God's purpofe or will of grace j he was willing to
promife, for he has actually done it, the word is
actually gone out of his mouth , and he is willing
to perform, for he is a God of truth, always yea,
and amen. 2dly, Faith viewing the power of God,
fees the performance to be eafy. What more eafy
thaji z.ii^ord fpeaking^ And yet one word from the
mouth of God, can give being and accompliiliment
to all the promifes, without any pain, coft, trouble
or hazard. The covenant of grace may be refem-
bied unto a tree, the promifes to the branches of the
tree, loaden with all manner of precious fruit ; now,
the leall word, the Icail breath from the mouth of

S A God,

; 264 ^^ Affurance of Faith^

Godj fhakes the tree, and makes all the fruit of -it
to drop down, as it v/ere, into the believers bo-
fom J and O, ma^^ the beUever argue, Will not he,
who fo loved a loll world, as to give his only be-
gotten Son, and v/ho loved wr, and gave himfelf
for me, will not he ware a word, or the breath of
his mouth on me ? Believe it, there is nothing
but a ix:crd between you and all the fure mercies of
David : yea, the word is already pafl out of his
mouth, I mean the word of grace and promife,
and there remains nothing but for you to believe,
trull and confide in it, and him that made it ; and,
in your fo doing, all the fure mercies of the pro-
mife are your own in Chrift. I fuppofe you don't
doubt but that God <wbo cannot lye has promt fed:
now, there is as much reafon to believe that he
will ■perform., as to believe that he has pajl his pro-
mife i for, as ^vas hinted above, to promife and
perform., to fay and to do, are all one thing with
him. Indeed, when micn promife, there is much
ground to doubt the performance, becaufe frequent-
ly things call up afterward, which render it impracti-
cable for them to do as they have faid : but no fuch
thing can happen unto him, who perfectly forefees
all future events, and who commands things that
are not, as' if they were. Now, I fay, faith fees all
this, and thereby raifes itfclf up unto a full affurance,
2X leall there is ground here for a full affurance of
faith, and no ground at all for doubting and waver-
ing. And, were not our faith pinion'd with ignorance
and unbelief, it could not mifs to believe without
ffaggering upon this ground, as did the faith of
/Ibraham.

• (3.) The veracity and faithfuhiefs of a God in
Chriji, pawned in the promife , is another ^rw(f;z^ up-
on which faith builds, when it draws near with a
full affurance. Faithfalnefs in God, and faith in

man.

opened and applied, 265

man, are correlates ; and there is fuch a near rela-
tion betwixt thele two, that our faith cannot fub-.
fill without the faithfuhiefs in God. And, on the o-
,ther hand, a revelation of God's faithfulnefs would
have been neediefs, if there were not fome to be-
lieve him: the light would be ufelefs, if there
were. not an eye to fee it j and the eye would be
ufelefs, if there were no light. To an unbelieving
finner, the revelation of the divine faithfulnefs is as
unprofitable as light is to a blind man ; and our
faith would be like an eye without light, if there
were not faithfulnefs. in God. Ytz.^ faithfulnefs in
God is the very parent of faith in man.- F^ith is,
at firfl, begot and wrought in the foul by fome dif-
covery of the divine faithfulnefs in the word of
grace, and it is maintained and increafed in the
fame way and manner. Whence is it that fome
do believe, and others not, who equally enjoy the
fame revealed warrants and grounds of faith .? The
matter is this, the faithfulnefs of God in the co-
venant and promife is revealed by the fpirit to the
one, and vailed and hid from the other, The god
of this Ivor Id blinding the eyes of them that believe not.
And, whence it is, that at one time a believer is
UroJig in faith .y givhig glory to God ; and at another
time ftaggers through unbelief ? The reafon is this,
the faithfulnefs of God at one time is fo vifible to
him, that he fees it to be like a mountain of hrafs
under him, at another time his light is fo dark and
dim, that he imagines the promife and the faith-
fulnefs of the promifer to be but like a broken
reed^ not able to bear his weight. But, 6 lirs,
^vhat can be ground of affurance, yea of the high-
eft and fuUeft alTurance of faith, if not the veraci-
ty of that God, niDho hath faithfidnefs for the girdle
cf his loins and reins ? .

Let

266 The Aj^urance of Faith ^

Let us but take a view of the high feciirities
by which the divine faithfulncfs is engaged, as to
tlie out-making of his promife^ and fee if there be
not ground for a full affurance of faith. The moll
jealous and fufpicious heart* in the world, could
not deilre grt2.ttr fecurity from the moft treacherous
perfon on earth, than a God of truth has granted
unto us, for our encouragement to believe, (i.)
Then let it bs confidered, that the dare fromife,
tho' there were no more, is abundance of fecurity,
efpecially if we coniider whofe promife it is ; It is
Gody who cannot lie, that projnifes. A gracelefs Ba~
laam gives him this tellimony. He is not man that
hejhoidd lie^ or the fon of man that he fioidd repent ;
hath he faid^ and will he not do it f hath he Jpoken^
a??djljall it not come to pafs ? We will adventure to
truft the v/ord of a man like ourfelves j efpecially,
if he be a man of integrity and honefly, who, we
think, will not falfify his w^ord : and, fhall we
have truft and credit to give to a man that may lie
and repent, and yet no credit or truft to give to
\iini for whom it is impofjible to lie? God has fo
great a regard to his word of promife, that it is
of more worth in his reckoning than heaven and
earth, and all the vifible creation ; yea, heaven and
f art h JJmU pafs awa)\ but one jot or one title of what
hehathfpoken, fiafl never fall to the ground. Yea,
I will adventure to fay further, that the divine
faitlifulnefs is fo much engaged in the promife,
that his very being is concerned therein : man may
break his word, and continue to be man ftill ; but
God could not be God, if he were not faithful
and true, becaufe faitlifulnefs is elTential to his very
nature and being. Now, is not that word a fuffi-
cient ground of faith, and of full affurance, as
to the performance of wliich, the very bei?ig of

opened and applied. 267

a God of truth is fo much concerned ? But this is
not all J for, (2.) Not only is the iioord oi promife
pafl out of his lips, but it is entred and regijlered in
the volume of this book. You know, the hare word
of an honeft man is good, but his written and re-
gijlered word or promife is better ; when we put a
man's bond in the regiftcr of human courts, it is
in order to our better fecurity, and that we may
the more fpeedily obtain payment of the fum con-
tained in it. Now, God has confented to the re-
gijlration of his word of promife, yea, it is actual-
ly inroUed and regiftered in the fcriptures of truth ;
and is not this a high engagement of the faithful-
nefs of God ? Perhaps you may think, if you had
voices, vijions and revelations from heaven immedi-
ately, you could believe j but, I can alTure you in
the name of God, that the bible, the book of God,
which you have among your hands, is a far better,
a much more folid ground of faith and truft, than
any thing of that kind. The apoftle Peter tells us,
2 Pet, i. 17. that he was taken up into mount
'Tabor, at Chrifl's transfiguration, and there he
heard a voice coming forth from the excellent glo-
ry, faying, This is ?ny beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleafed. This was a rare priviledge, and a
notable encouragement to believe : but yet, fays
he, We have a more Jure word of prophecy, unto
which ye do well to take heed, &c. O firs, think on
this, and prize and improve your bibles. (3.) The
faithfulnefs of God is fo much engaged in the pro-
mife, that it is a fealed deed. The great and infinite
Jehovah, in the perfon of his eternal Son, has
fealed the promife, yea fealed it with his blood.
Dan. ix. 27. we are told concerning the Meffiah,
that he fhould confirm the covenant with many. And,
how doth he confirm it ? but by his death. Hence

the

268 Vje A[fura72ce of Fakhy

the blood of Chritl:, is called the blood' of "%e co-
*venant'^ fo, Heb. ix. i6, 17. Where the tejlament-
is, there mujl needs be the death of the tcjlator j for
a tcfiament is of force after men are dead^ other iife
it is of m force while the tefator livcth. Thus I
fay, the promife is feakd and confirmed by the
blood of the lamb, the moft valuable feal that ever
was appended to any deed in the 'w^orld. And,
in token and tellimony of its being fealed by a re-
deemer's blood, God has appended two other vi/i-
bk feals unto his covenant of promife, n:iz.. baptfn
and the Lord's flipper, which are feals of the righ-
teoufnefs of faith • that is, as I take it, feals of
tliat covenant where God promifes peace and par-
don, grace and glory, on the fcore of the imputed
righteoufnefs of Chrift, apprehended by faith.
And whenever thefe facraments are difpenfed to us,
according to God's appointment, ^ve have a fealed
and confirmed promife and teftament put into our
hands, for our faith to feed and feafl upon.

(4.) The faithfulnefs of God is fo far engaged
in the promife, that his oath is interpofed, Heb. vi.
13.— —18. there we read oi tnsoo immutable things^
in which it is impofjiblc for God to lye. His word is
immutable, for it is slways yea. But, that we
might have ftrong confolation by having a ftrong"
ground of faith and confidence, he fuperadds his
immutable oath : he not only fpcaks, but farars. ^
Now, obferve how the apoflle fpcaks of the oath,
of God, verfe 13. Becaife he toidd fwear by jio^^
greater, he [ware by himfelf q. d. if God coiild
have gone higher in his oath, he W"ould have done
it. The form of God's oath is peculiar to himi-
ielf, as I live ; he fwears by his life, he fwears by
his holinefs, he fwears by his Bei?7g and Godhead.
As true as / am God^ I will blejs thee, fays the Lord

opened a?td applied. 269

to Abraham^ vcrle 14. But may a poor foul fay.
What is that to me ? What intereil or concern
have I in God's oath to Abraham ? O yes, fays
the apoftle, this concerns you and me, who have
fed for refuge unto the hope fit before uSy verfe 1 8.
q. d. This concerns every poor foul, that has a
mind for falvation in the Jiew and living ivay conf e'-
er at ed for us. He may fay, and fliould fay in him-
felf, As fure as God faid and fware to Abraham^
fo furely hath God faid and fworn that I fliali be
faved in fleeing for refuge to Chrifl, who is our
hope : as if the Lord ihould fay, O finner, I fet
my own Son before thee in the gofpel, as thy on-
ly refuge and fand:uary 5 I fet him forth as a pro-
pitiation through faith in his blood ; O fl^e, flee
to him for thy life, T^urn ye to your ftrong hold^ ys
prifojiers of hope ; for, as fure as I am God, thou
fhalt be faved in him : IJrael fall be faved in the
Lord with an everlafling falvation. O what a great
matter is this ! the oath of God: What will we e-
ver believe, or whom will we believe, if we do
not believe a God of truth fwearing by his life ?
Do not fay you are not concerned with his oatli ;
for as by believing you fit to your fiaU that he is
t?'ue in what he fays and fwears, fo by your un-
belief you call hi?n a lyar, and, upon the matter,
charge him with perjury, as was already hinted.
And for you who have adlually fled by faith unto
his Son, you fhall be as fure of God's blefling thro*
eternity, as ever Abraham was, when he heard
God fwearing to him, Su?-ely in blefjing I will blefi
thee, and in ?nultiplyi?ig I will multiply thee.

(5.) The faithfulnefs of God is yet further en-
gaged to believers in the promife, by^ giving a
pledge or earneft of the full performance ; and the
pledge he gives is of more worth than heaven and
.. . - earth.

270 72^ AJfura?ice of Fatth^

earth. O fay you, What is that ? I anfwer, It Is
the Holy Spirit of p-rcmife, which is the eariieji of the
inheritance y Eph. i. 13, 14. If ever thou felt
the Holy Spirit breathing on thee, by his faving
influence and operations, thou hafl the earnefl of
the inheritance, a pledge that all the promifes (hall
be fully accomplifhed in God's time. You know,
if a man gives a pledge, it is a fecurity for the full
bargain ; and if a man do not fulfil his bargain,
he lofes his pledge j fo here, God will as foon for-
feit his fpirit, as break his word. And is not this
notable fecurity to the believer ? Is not this a high
engagement of the faithfulnefs of God ?

(6.) The faithfulnefs of God is yet further en-
gaged in the promife, by the concurring declaration
of the mofl famous wif'nejfes that ever bore tejRii-
mony in any caufe, jointly attefting the truth of
the promife, and veracity of the promifer, i fohn
V. 7. There are three that bear record in heaven^
the Father J the Word, and the Holy Ghofl^ and thefe
three are one. The eternal Father attefls the truth
of the promife with a 'Thus faith the Lord. The
Son at tells it, who is the effential and fubflantial
word ; for he is the truth, the a?nen, the faithfid
and true witnefs, who [peaks in righteoufnefs. The
Holy Ghoft attefls it ; for he is the Spirit of truth,
leading into all truth : he is the Holy Spirit of pro-
mife, not only becaufe he himfelf is promifed,
but becaufe he teftifies of the truth of the pro-
mife, and faithfulnefs of the promifer ; and, by
his power and efficacy, feals and flamps thefe up-
on the foul, whereby he works faith or believing.
Now all thefe three witnefTes are one, not only one
in efTence, but one in their teflimony : And what
is the teftimony and record of a trinity ? It is this,
verfe 7. That Cod hath gi':oen (i. e. granted in .his"

covenant

ope?ied and applied, 2'jii

covenant of grace and promile) to lis eternal life
in his Sen. And when this record or teftimony of
a trinity is not beheved, we make God a lyar.
From the whole, you fee what high and deep en-
gagements the divine faithfulnefs is come under,
for the out-making and accompliihment of the
promife : O then, Let us draw near with a true
hearty in full afiirance of faith ; for faithful is ht
who hath promifed acceptance in the beloved. But
now, after all that has been faid, fome may be
ready to object, it is true, the good-will, power
and veracity of the promifer, are excellent encou-
ragements to thefe who have a right to the pro-
mife, to draw near to God in Chril?, w^ith full af-
furance of faith : but that is my ftrait and difficul-
ty, I doubt and fear left I have no claim or title
to the promife of welcome into the holieft by the
blood of Jefus, by that new and living way.
An anfwer to this, leads me to a

4/Z> Ground (taken in connexion with the for-
mer) upon which faith may build its aflurance, in.
drawing near to God by the new and living way,
and that is, the indorjement or direBion of the pro-
mife of welcome through Chrift. To whom, fay
youi is the promife indorfed^ I anfwer, it is di-
rected to every man, to whom the joyful found of
this ever lafting gofpel reacheth, John m.i6. There
you fee, that the promife of acceptance, and of
eternal life through Chrift, reaches forth its arms
to a loft world j whofoever believeth in him fiall not
perijhy but have everlajling life. So here, whofoever
draweth hear to the holieft by the blood of Jefus,
by the new and living way, through the mediation
of the great high prieji, ftiall obtain grace and mer-
cy to help them in time of need. The covenant of
grace, and promifes thereof, are fo- framed by
-....-••. inHnite

272 Tlje Ajftirance of Falth^

infinite wifdom, in the external dilbenfation of the
gofpel, that they look to every man and woman,
and, as it were, invite tliem to believe, and en-
courage them to enter into the holiefL He that fits
on a throne of grace, calls e^er\ one v/ithin his hear-
ing, to come for grace and mercy, alluring them,
that come to liim who will, he will hi ?io ivife cajl
out. And we that are the heralds and minifiers of
the Great King^ whofe name is the Lord^ gracious
and merciful^ have warrant and commiffion' to pro-
claim, that to you 7nen^ and the fons of men^ is the
ivord of this fahation fent ; the promife is directed
to you, as a ground of faith, even to you, and to
your feed, and to all that are afar off] and to as many
as the Lord our Godjhall call. There is not the leafl
peradventure, but the call or command of believing
is to every one^ otherwife unbelief could not be their
iin. Now, the promiie, in the indorfement and
dired:ion thereof, mull be as extenfive as the com-
mand J thefe two are infeparably linked together,
both in the external difpenfation, and in the inward
application of the fpirit, infomuch that whofoever
is commanded to believe, has 7'ight to the promife^ as
the ijnmediate groimd of his faith j and wholbever
adlualiy believes, and builds upon this ground,
has the promife in his pofifeffion. Take away the
projnife from the command of believing, you feparate
what God has joined together, and, in effe(3:,
command men to build without a foundation.
'Tis true, Chriji is the objeB of faith ; but it it
as true, that he can only be the objedt of faith to
us, as he is brought near in the "word cf faith or
promife^ Rom. x. 8. and therefore, feeing the
promife is to you and me, and every one who
hears this gofpel, I may warrantably fay with the
apollle, Heb. 4. i, Let ms fear, leaf a Profvife being

left

opened and applied. 2y7

Ift lis of entring itito his rejl^ any ofyoufhouldfeem to
co?jjeflort of if. From which text, it is plain, that
the promife of an everlafting reft, in and through
Chrift, is left even to thcfe, who, Hke the Ifrae-
lites^ may comefiort of it through Unbelief: And
how is it left us, but to be applied by faith ? Chrift
our elder Brother has left his confirmed teftament in
our hands, to be improved and ufed in a way of
believing, in order to our being adlually intitled to,
and in due time fully polTefled of that reft, which
is the purchafe of his death and blood. O then,
let us fear, left, when the promife is thus left us,
v/e fliould feem to come fliort of the pofTeffion ; for
the promife can never be ours in polleflion, tho*
left us, unlefs we believe ^ as is plain from the
words immediately following, ver. 2. where it is
added, concerning the unbelieving '^ews, 'The word
preached (viz. the promife of entering into his refi,
as is plain from the conneiftion) did not profit them,
not being mixed with faith i?i them that heard it. A
king's proclamation, and promife of pardon to a
company of rebels, cannot profit any of them but
fuch as accept of it. A legacy left by the latter- will
of a rich and wealthy friend, to a certain family,
without fpecifying one individual perfon of the fa-
m;ily, can only profit that perfon, or thefe branches
of the family who claim right to the legacy, upon
their friend's teftament; but to the reft it is unpro-
fitable, becaufe through pride, or ignorance, or
lloth, they forfake their own mercy. Or fuppofe
a letter fhould come indorfed to me, containing a
bank note of 50, 100 or 1000 pounds fterling, or
more if you will j the indorfement of the letter to
me, gives me a right to carry the bill to the
bank, and afk payment > but if, through pride and
conceit that I am rich and increafed with goods, I

T will

274 ^^ Ajfurance of Faiths

will not receive the letter, nor afk payment of the
' fum ; in that cafe I come fhort of my own privi- '
ledge, and it becomes unprofitable to me. I own
that in every one of thefe fimilitudes there is a dif-
fimilitude; the only ufe I make of them is, to
ihew how near Chrift and his falvation are brought
unto us in the word of faith or promife, that there-
by we may be encouraged to draw near by the
blood of Jefus, with full alTurance of faith, fee-
ing he is faithful, that hath promifed acceptance in
this new and living way. To all that is faid, I
fliall only add,

(5.) Let it encourage us to draw near in full af-
furance of faith, that there is no lawful impedi-
ment to hinder our accefs and fuccefs, in entring
with boldnefs into the holiell by the blood of Je-
fus. Every bar and hindrance^ that flood in our
way, is mercifully removed by our great High-
Prieji, who is over the hoiife God. All the impedi-
ments that can be pleaded on God's part, are the
law, juftice and holi^iefs of God ; and all the impe-
diment that can be pleaded on our part hfn : Now,
none of thefe ought to hinder our drawing near in
this new and living way, with full affurance of
faith. As for the law, that cannot be a juft iftipe-
diment to hinder our accefs ; for that moment the
foul enters by Chrift, as the way to the Father,
the law gets its end, Chrift being the e?7d of the law
for righteoufnefs to every one that believes. Now,
can the law be againft its own end, or that which
gives it its due ? All that the law demands is a per-
feft and finlefs righteoufnefs, give it that, and it
has no more to feek ; now this the law gets, that
moment that a finner believes, or draws near by the
blood of Jefus. What the law could not do, in
that it was weak through the flefti, God fending

his

ope?2ed and applied, 275

his own Son in the likenefs of finful fleili, for fin
condemned fin in the fleih, That the righteoiifnefs of
the law might be fulfilled in iis^ who walk not after
theflcf.\ but after thefpirit, Rom. viii. 3, 4. From
whence it is plain, that every foul that believes in
Chrifi:, is that moment veiled, by imputation,
with the righteoufnefs of the Son of God, where-
by the law is jnagnifiedy and made honourable : and
therefore, in drawing near by the blood of Jefus,
infiiead of Jiaving the law againft us, we have the
law for us, and on our fide ; we have a peffe^i larw-
righteoufnefs to plead upon.

Again, as for the jti/iice of God, this is ready to
fcare us, who are guilty finners, from fo much as
looking tov/ard the holieft, or the place where
God's honour dwells : but neither can this be any
impediment to our drawling near by the blood of
Jefus with full aflurance of faith -, Why ? th^
which jiiflice demands, is a complete fatisfadiion for
the injury done to the honour and authority of
God, by the breach and violation of the holy and
righteous law, which was a tranfcript of the pu-
rity and equity of his nature : now, when a finner
draws near, or enters into the holiefi: by the blood
of ^efus, he gives juftlce that which it wants alfo,
namely, a ranfom of infinite value, even the ran-
fom that God has found j the propitiation that Gcd has
fet forth in the gofpel, to be received by faith.
The m.an in believing, as it were, prefents
this ranfom unto jufi:ice for the fin of his foul j
and whenever juftice fees this ranfom of the blood
of Jefus in the hand of faith, it aflbilzies and acquits
the foul from all law-penalties, declaring, that N&w
there is no condemnation to that man, Rom. viii. i.
Let none from henceforth lay any thing to his
charge, for it is God that jufifeth, who then jhall

T 2 condemn ?

276 The AJfurance of Faith^

cojidemn ? It is Cbn/i that hath died, yea rather ivhn^
is rijen again, who alfo 7)iaketh iiitercejjion. Thus
juftice, inftead of barring our way to the holieft,
becomes our friend, and cafts open the door of ac-
cefs to us ; for God is juft, when he is the jujiijier
of them that believe in 'Jejiis.

As for the holinefs of God, that feems to fland
as an infuperable bar in our way of entring into the
holiefl by reafon of the blot, defilement, and pol-
lution of fin, which renders us utterly lothlbme in
the fight of the Holy One of Ifrael : but, glory to
God in the highefl, this bar is alfo removed by the
blood of Jefus j for that moment a finner comes
under the covert of this blood, and draws near to
God under this covering, he hath his heart there-
by fprinkled from an evil conference , and his body
ivajked ivith pure water. That fame moment that
the righteoufnefs of the fecond Adam is extended to
us for juftification, his fpirit enters into us for
fandlification, renewing us in the whole man after
the image of God. And the blood of Jefus not on-
ly cancels the guilt of fin, which made us obnox-
ious to the law and juflice of God ; but it hides
and covers xhtflth of fin, from the eyes of imacu-
late holinefs : yea, holinefs is fo much the finner's
friend, in drawing near through the blood of Je-
fus, that this attribute of the divine nature is pawn-
ed in the promife of acceptance made to Chrifl
and his feed, Pfal.lxxxix. 2, 35. On which ac-
count I may exhort all true believers, in the words
of the pfalmifl, Pfal. xxx. 4. Sing mito the Lordy
O ye faints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance
vf his holinefs. Thus then, I fay, all if7ipediments
and bars on God's part, that might hinder our ac-
cefs into the holiefl, are removed by the blood of

Jefus;

opepted and applied. 277

Jefus ; and therefore, let us draw near with a true
hearty in full ajjiirance of faith.

As for impediments on our party they may be
more particularly fpoken to in the Application, I
fliall only fay at the time, that the fum total of
them all amounts to this, that we arefinners, and
fo wretched, miferable, blind, poor and naked,
that we cannot think that ever God will receive
or welcome us : but at once to roll away this i?n~
pedimcfity let it be confidered, that this new and
living way of accefs into the holieft is only calcu-
lated forfimiers-y Chrijl calls not the righteous (or
innocent) but fmners^ to enter, by him, as the way
to the Father : if you were not fmncrSy but righ-
teouSy as Adam was before the fall, you would not
need to enter by the blood of Jefus. But feeing the
way and door to the holieft, is juft (haped and
calculated for the f7ifier, let not the finner fear to
enter by it into the prefence of God ; efpecially
when he calls us, who are finner s^ to draw near
with a true heart, in full afTurance of faith.
Faithful Is he that hath promifed acceptance in
the beloved-

DISCOURSE VL

Containing the Kv vl i c a t i o -ii of the freceeding
DoBrine,

I Proceed now to wind up the whole of this dif-
courfe in fome pradical IMPROVEMENT
thereof, which I (hall endeavour to manage, as
briefly as I can, in the few following Infere?ices.

Inference ift. From what has been faid, we
may fee, That there is a myftery in belicvijtgy which
the world does not underftand, yea, which none

T 1, can

278 ^^ Affurance of Faith^

can know, without that fpirit which is of God^
whereby we know the things that are freely given us
of God. The apoille, i Tim. iii. 9. fpeaks of the
myfiery of faith. And indeed every thing about it
is a myjiery : the way of its produBion^ or how it
is wrought in the foul, by the power of the eter-
nal fpirit, is a myftery -, tVho can tell how the bones
are formed in the womb of her that is with child?
Far lefs are we capable to account for the way and
manner of the fpirit's operation in forming and
creating us in Chrifl Jefus by faith. Hence is that
of Chr if to Niccdemus, John iii. 8. The wind blow-
eth where it lifteth ; thou hearefi the found thereof
but thou canfi not tell whence it comes, or whither it
goes. So is every one that is born of the fpirit. How
the fpirit of God drops into the heart, the incor-
ruptible feed of his own word, and impregnates it
there, fo as to turn it, though in itfelf but a dead
letter, into a living principle, purifying the heart,
debafing felf, and carrying the foul dired:ly
into Chrift for all ; is a myftery which we cannot
comprehend or account for. And then the ob-
jeB of faith is a great myfiery : God, the idtimate
objeB of it, is an awful myllery -, Who can by fear do-
ing find him out, either in his elTence, operations,
or manner of his exiflence. One in three, and
three in one ? Chrifl, the more immediate objeB of
faith, is a great myftery, an incarnate deity j With-
out controverfy, great is the myfiery oj godlinefs, God
tnantfefied in the fiefio. The gofpcl-covenaiit, by
which we believe in Chrifl, is a myftery which
was hid fi'om ages and generations, but now is
made manifeft unto the faints. And laftly, the
aBings of faith upon its objecls is a great myftery,
how the poor believer on earth can receive Chrift
in heaven, at the right-hand of God : hov/ he ap-
plies him as his own Saviour, his own Prophet,

Pricft

opened and applied. 279

Prleft and King, upon the indefinite grant that is
made of him in the new covenant, where the man
is neither deligned by name or fir-name : how
faith makes ufe of Chrifl and his fulnefs, with as
great freedom as a man makes ufe of meat and
drink that is fet before him ; on which account it
is fafd to eat the ficjh and drink the blood of the Jon
of man : how it puts on the righteoufnefs of Chrift,
and glories in the obedience of another, as though
the man had fulfilled the law in his own perfon :
how it draws forth the fulnefs of the God-head,
dwellijig bodily in Chrift, and thus fills the foul with
th^ftdnefs of God: how it will take a bare word,
dropping from God's mouth, and rejoice in it as
one that findeth great fpoils : how it will take this
word, and draw near to him in the new and liv-
ing way, with full affurance of acceptance : thefe
things are my ft cries which fleft:) and blood ca?jnot re-
veal-, and yet to every true believer it is given,
in lefs or more, to know thefe myfteries of the
kingdom.

Inference 2d, From this do6lrIne, we may fee
the excellency of the grace of faith. When it takes.
a view of the blood of Jefus, of the new and living
way, and of the high prieft over the houfe of God, it
can draw near to the holiejl with full afjiirance of
welcome j and it is not without warrant that faith
promifes itfelf welcome from the Lord in its ap-.
proaches' to him through Chrift ; God has made
the fame, yea, much greater grant to the grace of
faith, than Ahafuerm made unto Efther, ch. ix. 12.
What is thy petition ? a?id it ft?all be granted thee :
or, what is thy requeft f and it ftmll be done. Com-
pare this with fohn xiv. 13, 14. Whatfoever ye
ftall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father
may be glorified in the Son. Tf ye ft:all ask any thing

.T 4 in

gSo *The Affurance of Faith ^

in my name, I will do it. So, Mark vii. 24, Whai
things foever ye dejire when ye pray, believe that ye
receive them, and ye have them. As Ahafuerus put
a peculiar honour upon EJiher, and preferred her
above all the maids in his kingdom ; fo God, the
King of kings, ftamps a peculiar honour and ex-
cellency upon the grace of faith, preferring it
above all the other graces -, on which account it
may fay with Mary, Luke i. 48. He hath regarded
the low ejiate of his handmaid. Though God be
high, yet hath he a refpedt unto the lowly. Tho'
he be the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, yet
he dwells with the humble : he delights to chufe,
and put honour upon the foolifli, weak, bafe and
defpifed things of this world ; yea, he chufesi
things that are 7iot, to bring to 7ioiight things that
are. Faith is the meaneft and loweft, the poorefh
and mofl beggarly of all the other graces ; for
all the other graces give fomething unto God,
whereas faith like a meer beggar, comes 7iot to.
give any thing, but to get and receive all: and
yet God takes this beggar, and fets it among prin-
ceSy to allude unto that expreflion, Pfalm cxiii. 7^
8. Such honour and preferment does God put
upon this grace, that though he has faid. He will
not give his glory fo another ; yet, fo little jealoufy
has he of the grace of faith, that he, as it were,
fets it upon the throne with himfelf, afcribing
things to it, which are proper and peculiar unto,
himfelf only ; he fets the jewels of his crown up-
on the head of faith. The falvation of a loft lin-
ner is God's prerogative, he alone is the God of fal-
vation, to whom belong the ijjiies from death ; and
yet we find this attributed unto the grace of faith.
Go in peace, fays Chrift, thy faith hath faved thee,
fuftifcation is peculiar unto God only, // is God
' that

opened and applied • 281

tint jnjlifieth, fays the apoflle, and yet the fame
aporile afcribes the juflification of a finner unto
faith, A man is jujlijied by faith without the deeds of
the law. God alone is the Loi-d of life, who kills
and makes alive ; and yet Hfe is afcribed unto faith,
The juji fiall live by his faith. Omnipotency is God's
peculiar prerogative, he is the Almighty j and yet
there is almightinefs attributed unto faith. All
things are pojjible unto him that believeth : if we have
faith as a grain of mujlard-feed^ we may fay to this
and the other mount ain^ he thou removed^ and it fiall
be done. If we read the xith of the Hebrews^ we
fhall find things afcribed to faith, which nothing
but omnipotency itfelf could effect, fuch as the
flopping the mouths of lions^ quenching the violence of
fire J raifmg the dead^ and the like. Now, would
you know why God doth thus attribute works
and perfedions to faith, which are proper to
himfelf alone ? The plain reafon is, becaufe faith
is fuch a low, mean, felf-denied grace, that it is
juft the genius and nature of it to exclude y^'^, yea
to exclude itfelf to glory in the Lord alone ; and
to give him the glory due unto his name, faying.
Not unto us^ not unto us^ but unto thy name be the glo-
ry. Does faith five us ? Yes it does ; but then it
turns the glory of falvation over upon the Author
thereof, faying. Our God is the God of falvation.
Does the juft man live by faith ? Yes : but then
faith fteps in with [It is not T\ Gal. ii. 20. J live,
yet not /, but Chrifi liveth in me. Does faith
juftify ^ Yea, it doth : but then, its language is,
S,urcly in the Lord have 1 7^ighteoufnefs, in him will
I be juftified, and in him alone will I glory. Can
faith do every thing P Yea, but it is by leaning on
the arm of omnipotency, / can do all things through
Chrifi frengthning me. Thus, I fay, faith, ar-

rogates-

282 iTde Affura7ice of Faith^

rogates and claims nohing to itfelf, but gives un-
to the Lord the glory due unto his name. And
fo zealous is faith to have God alone exalted, par-
ticularly the freedom of his grace in the j unifica-
tion and lalvation of a finner, that though believ-
ving be the highefl: and greatefl adl of obedience
that a perfcn can yield unto the moral law, yet,
that boafling may be for ever excluded, it excludes
and fliuts out itfelf from the rank and category of
works, or a^ts of obedience, Rom. iv. 6. To him
that woj'keth not^ but bcUevcih in him that jufiijieth
the ungodly^ his faith (objeftively conlidered) is
counted unto him for rightecuffiefs. It is the pecu-
liar excellency of faith, that it links its own ad:,
that its blelTed objed:, CHRIST, may be all in all:
It rejoices in Chriil Jefus, and triumphs always in
him. And though, as I was faying, it be the poor-
cfi, loweft, and moft beggarly of all the other
graces, yet it is a grace that prides itfelf in the
luOrd fefuSy and by his blood enters with boldnefs
into the holiefl:.

I?fer. 3^. If it be the will of God, that we
fhould draw near with full alTurance of faith j hence
I infer, that unbelief whether reigning in the wick-
ed, or remaining in the faints^ cannot fliun to be
mofi; difpleafing and offenfive unto him.

Flrfi^ 1 fay, reigning unbelief in the wicked^, is a
flat contradidtion to the will of God ; the man
under the power of unbelief, inftead of drawing
near with the alTurance of faith, departs from
him, through a diftrufl and jealoufy of his grace,
power, and veracity. Solomon tells us, Frci\ vi.
34. feahufy is the rage of a man. If vv^e fliall en-
tertain and exprefs a jealoufy or diftruit of a man's
veracity, it is enough to exafperate and enrage
him agaijifl: us : why ? when we exprefs a jealoufy

ope?ted and applied, 283

of him, we in efFcdt call him a lyar. And if
man who is vanity, and the fon of man who is a
lye, reckon it fuch an indignity to have their ve-
racity or kindnefs called in queftion j how much
more is it an indignity done to him, for v/hom it
is impoffible to lye ? O Sirs ! unbelief offers the
moft iignal affront to a God of truth, that it is
poflible for a creature to do. God, as you were
hearing, to encourage our faith and confidence to-
wards him, has given all the fecurities which he
could poffibly grant ; yea, the moft jealous heart
in the world could not afk better fecurity from the
moll treacherous perfon on earth, than God has
granted in his word : for though his bare word of
promife be enough to command faith from all
mankind, yet, beiide his word^ he has given his
writ ; beiide his writ, he has given his facred
cath i beiide his oath, he has given a furety ; beiide
a furety, he has appended folemn feals, and rati-
fied all by the joint tefiimony of the Three that hear
record in heaven. Father, Word, and Spirit. Now,
after all thefe fecurities, to entertain a jealoufy of
him, as if he were not faithful to his promife of
welcome and acceptance in the beloved ; what elfe
is this but to make him a lyar ? Faithfulnefs and
truth are the girdle of his loins and reigns ; but un-
belief does its utmoll to ftrlp him of his girdle,
charging him with treachery and unfalthfulnefs.
You would reckon it an imputation of a very high
and horrid nature, for any man to charge you with
blafphemy againft God ; and yet I will be bold to
fay, every imbeliever is a blafphemer of God ; for
can there be greater blafphemy under heaven, than
to make God a lyar ? It is indeed moll certain,
that God will be found true, and every man a
lyar : but yet the unbeliever does his uttermofbto
-, make

284 ^^ Affurajice of Faith ^

make him a lyar, by refufing credit to his v/ord.
And, after all, is it any wonder though a holy
and jealous God be fo enraged againfl the fin of
unbelief, as to declare, that he who believeth not^ is
condemned ab^eady, and the UTath of God ahtdeth on
him ? Believe it, firs, if you continue to blaf-
pheme God by your unbelief here, you fhall have
time to blafpheme him in hell with devils and
damned fpirits, through the endlefs ages of eter-
nity, "John viii. 24. Jfy^ believe not that I am he,
ye fiall die in your fms. John xv. 22. If I had ,not
come and jpoken unto them, they had had no fin, but
710W they have no cloke for their fin.

Secondly, This dodtrine not only condemns the
reigning unbelief of the greatefl part of the hear-
ers of the gofpel, but alfo the remaining unbelief of
believers themfelves. God knows how many un-
believing believers there are among us : there are
very few believers, but are guilty of ten, if not
twenty a6:s of unbelief for one a(fl of faith. O
that I could fliame even believers out of their un-
belief! I fliall only fay, that your unbelief is much
more unaccountable and inexcufable than the un-
belief of other men : why ? God has not only
given you a ground of faith, as he has given others,
but he has given you the grace of faith 3 and not
to believe in that cafe, is a crime of a mofl black
and aggravated nature. If a child who is fprung
out of his parent's bowels, and who is the objed;
of his mofl indeared affedion, fhould call his fa-
ther that begat him lyar, would not this give a
more fenlible wound to the parent's heart, than if
he had been fo treated by any other perfon ? This
is the very cafe with you, believers ; God has
taken you into his family, given you the name of
fcfis and daughters, and he fays to you in effed:,

as.

opened and applied * 285

as, y^r. iii. 4. Wilt thou not from hejiceforth call
me^ My Father P Wilt thou not from henceforth
draw near to me as a father, and as your father
in Chrift, with full afTurance of faith ? And yet,
after all, to call him a lyar by your unbelief, and
to fay, that his promife fails for evermore, or that
he has forgotten to be gracious ; O what a deep
wound may you think doth this give unto the
heart of your heavenly father ! The provocations
of fons and daughters, particularly this provoca-
tion of unbelief, touches him in the tendered: part.
You may readily afk. Wherein doth the unbe-
lief of believers ^//co^vr itfelf? I anfwer, (i.) It
difcovers itfelf in their frequent pleading the caiife of
unbelief and that under the fpecious pretext of
hiunility, O will the man lay, it would be too
great a thing for the like of me to venture into the
holieft J it would be prefumption in me, to draw
near with full aflurance of faith, afking peace and
pardon, grace and glory ; I dare not meddle with
the gift of God, or take hold of his covenant ; my
fingers are too foul to touch fuch holy things.
Here indeed is a fair malk and fhew of humility :
but, firs, it is nothing elfe than the devil of unbe-
lief wrapt up in SamiieU^ mantle -, it is a pleading
the caufe of unbelief, and a refuiing to obey the
exprefs command of God, under a pretence that you
are not fit enough for believing, that you want this
and that and the other quaUfication ; and what is
this but a tang of the old Adam^ a tind:ure of the
covenant of works ? Whatever carnal reafon may
imagine, true faith, though it be the boldeft, yet
it is the mofl humble and felf-emptying thing in
the world ; and, the more of the boldnefs and af-
furance of faith, always the more humility ; and
the reafon of this is plain, becaufe faith in its deal-
ings

2 86 TToe Affurance of Faith^

ings with God defpifes fo much as to cafl an eye
upon any grace or qualification in the foul itfelf,
excepting it be its emptinefs, mifery, poverty, ^c.
and builds its whole confidence upon a ground
without itfelf, namely, the noble qualifications of
iho, great High-Prieft over the houfe of God. (2.)
The unbelief of believers difcovers itfelf in ^ faint,
lafiguid and timorous way of believing, as if the
ground they ftand upon, were not able to bear
them : much like a man walking upon weak ice,
though he ventures his weight upon it, yet every
moment he is afraid, left the ice break underneath
him, and leave him in the deep ; juft fo it is with
many believers, they venture upon Chrift, upon
his righteoufnefs, and upon the faithfulnefs of God
pawned in the promife, with a kind of trembling
fear, as though they would fall underneath them,
and leave them to perifli for ever j and what elfe
is this, but unbelief, or a fecret diftrufting of the
fufficiency of God's faithfulnefs, or of Chrift's
righteoufnefs to bear up the foul in its eternal con-
cerns? (3.) The unbelief of believers appears
in their being too much addicted to a way of
living hy fenfe : fenfe, unlefs it have the ftock in
its own hand, does not reckon the promife of
God worth a farthing ; but faith, rejoices in the
promife as its fu^/ifiencey even when fenfe is out of
doors. The believer, who lives by fenfe, will
not believe the promife, or credit the veracity of
the promifer, unlefs he be hired and bribed ivith
fenfMe confolations and manifefiations ; much like
Thomas y John xx. 25. Except I fee in his hands the
print of the Jiails^ and put my finger into the print of
the ?iailsy and thriifi my hand into his fide, I will not
■believe. It is with many believers, as it is with
fome unfkilful f'wimmers, they will venture into
I the

opened and applied, 2 87

the deep waters, if you will undertake to bear their
heads above, but not otherwiie j but this is not
true fwimming, true fwimming is for a man to
venture the weight of his body into the water, and
by the flrength of the water, and the waving of
his hands and limbs, to bear himfelf up from
fmking. So true believing is not for a man to
truft God and his promife, only, when he his
born up with fenlible confolations ; but for a man
to reft, ftay and bear up his foul upon the bare
promife of God, even when thefe props are with-
drawn : It is to triifi in the fiame of the Lord^ aiid
tojiay ou7'fehes upon him as our God, when we walk
i?! darknefs and fee no light.

Inference 4th. This doctrine ferves to difcover
what is xh&frength or ftature of our faith : for the
expreffion of the apoftle in the text, as was already
hinted, plainly imports, that there are believers of
different lizes in God's family. Now, in enlarging
this inference, there are two or three practical
cafes which I fhall endeavour briefly to refoive, ( i .)
What are the u(\i2\. fy?nptof?is of a ftro?ig faith ? (2.)
What are the ufual attendants of a weak faith t
(3.) How may the reality of faith be known, tho'
it were in the lov/eft or weakeft degree ?

^ejl, I ft. What are th.Q fg?is or evidences of a
firong faith "^ Ai^f i. The more tl"iat the IcgaJity
of the heart is overcome, the ftronger is a man's
faith. Every man is naturally fnarried to the law
as a covenant ; and while there is any thing of na-
ture in the believer, he will find a ftrong biafs in
his heart, turning him Into the Vv^orks of the law,
as a ground .of acceptance before God. And O
how eafily and un&nflbly do our fpirits glide into
this old covenant-clianel, imagining that God ac-
cepts of us the better, on the f^ore of our inhe-
rent

288 7he Ajjurance of Faithy

rent holinefs, or external adts of obedience ! Now^
I fay, the more that this biafs of the heart is con-
quered, the ftronger is our faith. A vigorous and
lively faith overlooks all graces, duties, attain-
ments, and experiences, as grounds of acceptance j
and founds its confidence wholly and alone upon
the blood of Jefus, the merit and mediation of
the great High-Prieft over the houfe of God, by
vertue of the covenant of grace and free promife
of acceptance in him. The jftrong believer cafts
out the bond-womaii and her feed of legal works
and doings, owning himfelf only a fon of ^^free-
'woman., an heir of the promife of grace and glory,
through Chrift and his imputed righteoufnefs :
upon this rock he drops his anchor, upon this
foundation he builds his hope, difclaiming his
goodnefs as a thing that extendeth not to the Lord,
accounting his own righteoufnefs, whether legal or
evangelical, before or after converfion, as dung and
lojs, that he may be found in Chrijl^ having the righ-
teoufnefs which is through the faith of Chrift :
he will not take fo much as a ftone or little pin-
ning of the works of the law, to help up the new
fabrick of grace 3 no, it fliall be all grace from
top to bottom, and through every part of it, and
grace reigning through imputed righteoufnefs a-
lone, Rph. ii. 8. By grace ye a7-e J'aved, th?~ough
faith, a72d that not of yowfehes, it is the gift of God i
not of works, lejl any man fioidd boaft. [2,) f?'ong
faith will build its confidence, as to great matters,
upon a naked word coming from the mouth of
Chrift, even though fenfe and reafon, yea, the or-
dinary courfe of providence, be againfl it. This
we fee exemplified in the cafe of Abraham, for-
merly mentioned, Kom. 4. though every thing feem-
ed to make againfl him, yet he flaggered not at the

p7-omife

opened and applied, 289

promife through unbelief, but wasjlrojig in the faith,
glorifying God : yea, firong faith will catch at the
leaft hint of encouragement from the Lord, and
build its afTurance thereupon, as to tlie defired e-
vent. Matt, viii. 6, 7, 8. The Centurion comes to
Chriji in behalf of his fervant, who v.^'as ftricken
with a palfy, and grievoufly tormented. Chrift
anfwers, verfe 7. / will come and heal him. Well,
the man's faith fixes upon this fimple word of
promife, and is fo much allured of the good-will,
power, and faithfulnefs of the promifer, that he
makes no more doubt of his fervant's recovery,
than if it were already done, being perfuaded that
difeafes and diftempers were as much at Chrift's
beck, and much more, than his foldiers or fer-
vants were at his ; and that Chrift's word of com-
mand could as effedlually heal at a diftance, as ,
though he were prefent: whereupon, verfe 10.
we are told that Jefus marvelled, faying, / have
7iot found f ogre at faith, ?20 riot in l{r2.e\. {2-)frong
£iith is ordinarily attended with afrrn and fixed re~
folution to hang on the Lord, till it get the errand it
corner for ; and no fuppofeable difcouragements
fliall make it quit its hold, facob was a ftrong be-
liever, and, by the ftrength of his faith, he had
power with God, he had power with the a?2gel, and
p7'€vailed. We read. Gen. 32. after a long night's
wreftling, the Lord fays to him. Let me go, for
the day breaks : facob anfwers, / will not let thee
go, except thou blefs me. This, one would think,-
looked like rudenefs and ill manners in Jacob, to
fpeak fo to God : no, it was not rudenefs, but on-
ly the refolution of his faith. Lord, might Jacob
fay. If thou afk my leave to go, I can by no
means yield to it -, let the day break and pafs on,
let night come, and the next day break again,

U lams

290 ^e AJfurance of Faithy

lame yacob^ and the liviiig God^ Jhall ne'ver part^
till I get the blejjing ; and his refolute faith like a
prince prevailed. O let all the true feed of ^acob
follow his example, and they fhall be fed with the
heritage of yacob their father. The like infrance
we fee in the Syrophenician 'u;oman^ Matt. xv. 22.
Her faith breaks through all difcouragements, yea,
improves feeming difcouragements as arguments to
fortify her fuit j whereupon Chrift at length an-
fwers, O woman^ great is thy faith. Strong faith
will rather die upon the fpot, than quit its hold :
though he JJjoidd kill me (fays ^ob^ yet ivill I trufi i?i
him. (4.) Though flrong faith, may be troubled
at the hiding of the Lord's countenance, yet it will
not be caft down at every cloud, as tho' the Lord
had forgotten to be gracious : no, it prefently cafts
its eyes on the covenant, and reads love in God's
words, when it cannot fee them in his looks ; faying
with the church in Mich. 7. though I ft in dark-
?iefs, the Lord will be a light unto me: he will
bring me forth to the light, and I fall behold his
righteoufnefs. Why ? He has faid, and his word
is fure, th^thisgoings forth are prepared, or fecured,
as the outgoings of the morning-light, Hof. vi. and
therefore I no more doubt of the Lord's return,
than I doubt of the return of the fun in the morn-
ing, when he fets out of fight in the evening.
However dark the night may be, yet the day will
break, and the fhadows will fly away : Weeping
may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
And as flrong faith keeps up the heart from finking
under the clouds of defertion, temptation, and in-
ward trouble ; fo it keeps the fpirit of a man in an
equal poife, under all the viciffitudes of time, fo
that he fall ?iot be afraid of evil tidings, his heart
being fixed, trufing in the Lord. 'Though thefg-tree

fould

'Opened and applied. 291

fmiU not hlojfom. Sec. yet will he rejoice in the Ltrdy
mid be glad in the God of hisfahation, Hab. iii. 17^
1 8. Heroick faith hath the moon of this world un-
der its feet ; it tramples upon all the changes of
time, faying with the apoflle, / have learned in
every Jlate wherein I am, therewith to he content, &c.
However matters may be iituate in the condudt of
providence, yet a lively faith can fee, that there are
no changes in God's covenant, no change of his
love or purpofe of grace. (5.) The n\ovQ fruit-
ful a perfon is in the exercife of other graces, the
Jironger is his faith. You know, the plenty and
bignefs of the fruit of a tree flows from the a-
bundance of fap and flrength in the root ; fo here,
faitli is the radical grace, the root upon w^hich the
other graces grow ; and therefore, the more that
a perfon abounds in love, hope, repentance, meek-
nefs, humility, and other graces, the more vigo-
rous is his faith j for as the tree ftrikes its roots in-
to the ground, and from thence draws and fends a
digelled nouriiliment through the feveral branches,
whereby they are made to blolTom and bring
forth ; fo faith unites the foul to Chrift, thro' the
word of grace, and fetches out fap and flrength
from that true olive, whereby the foul is made to
revive as the corn, to grow as the vi?ie, and its f cent
<ind favour like that of Lebanon.

The fecond queftion was. What are the ufual
attendants of a weak faith ? An anfwer to this
queflion may ealily be deduced from what has
been already fuggefled in anfwer to the former ;
a weak faith having the oppoiite fymptoms of a
flrong. However, bedde what may be gathered
this way, I fliall fuggefl the two particulars fol-
lov/ing, (i.) Frequent doubting, Jlaggering and
wavering of the heart, is a concomitant of weak

U 2 faith.

292 72^ AJfurance of Faith^

faith. You know, there is a great deal of fmoke
goes up from the fire, while it is weak, not tho-
roughly broken up j fo, the more of the fmoke of
unbelieving doubts, fears and jealoufies, there is
the lefs faith. Hence doubting and believing are
oppofed. Wherefore didfi thou doubts 0 thou of little
faith F A daggering at the promife through unbe-
lief is oppofed to the ftrength of faith, Rojn, iv. 20.
The word is borrowed from a man walking, whofe
feet through weaknefs hit one another, which
makes him alter his pace, one ftep is quick, and
another flow; fo here, the way of weak faith
is not equal : perhaps under a fenlible enjoyment,
he is this hour triumphing in his high places ; but
anon the enjoyment is withdrawn, and he alters
his pace, and ftaggers through unbelief, faying.
His promife fails for evermore, he hath forgotten to
be gracious. (2.) The more hafly and impatient
the foul is under delays, the weaker is its faith.
This I gather from If a, 28. He that believeth Jhall
not make hafte. Weak faith is fo hafty, that it
will allow of no time to interveen betwixt the
petition and its anfwer, betwixt the promife and
the accomplifhment : if the anfwer do not come
prefently, the man is ready to conclude, 'The Lord
doth 7iot hear, neither doth the God of Jacob regard.
But now, ftrong faith makes the foul to wait God's
time and leifure, faying, / will direSl my prayer to
thee, and will look up ; I will look to the Lord, I
will wait for the God of my falvation^ my God will
hear me.

The third queillon was this, How may the
truth and reality of faith be known, though it be
in the weakefh and lowell degree ? I anfwer, i .
True faith, even in the weakeft meafure, will look
on fin as an enemy ^ though it perhaps dare not lay

claim

opened and applied, 293

claim to Chriji as a friend. True faith is faid to pu-
rify the heart, Afts xv. 9. It is a living principle
in the foul, which is always oppoling the motions
of indwelling corruption. Although indeed fome-
times, through the prevalency of fin, it cannot be
difcerned, more than the living fpring at the bot-
tom of the well, when the waters are muddied ;
yet, like the living fpring, it is always working out
the mud and filth, till the waters be perfecStly
clear. Perhaps the foul is fo far from perceiving any
real grace, any adtual interefl in Chrift, that it can
fee nothing but atheifm, enmity, unbelief, igno-
rance, pride, and fuch vermine of hell crawling
in every corner j and yet at the fame time the
living principle of faith, at the bottom of the heart,^
will be working and wreililing againfl thefe, fome-
times by groans, Wretcl:>ed man that I am, who will
deliever me ? Sometimes by complaints, iniquity pre-
vails agai?i/i me. Sometimes by hoks to heaven for
relief, I know not what to do, but mine eyes are to-
wards thee. Sometimes by wies to heaven, / am
opprejfed, undertake for me. Sometimes by breath-
ing defires after more holinefs. Create in me a clean
heart ; Let my heart be found in thy flat utes ; O that
my ways were direBed to keep thy ftatutes ! By fuch
things as thefe, the truth and reality of faith may
be difcovered, even in its weakefl meafure and de-
gree. 2. True faith, though never fo weak, will
have a high eflimate and valuation of Chrift, and the
habitual bent and biafs of the foul will be toward
him, I Fet. ii. 8. T^o you that believe he is pre-
cious. If^. xxvi. 8. T^he defre of our fold is unto thy
name, and the remembrance of thee. Weak faith
perhaps dare not go the length of faying with the
fpoufe. My beloved is mine, and I am his: yet it
will be often faying, O that he were mine ! 0 that

U 3 thou

294 ^^ AJfurance of Falth^

thou werf as my brother^ that fucked the hreajls of
my mother ! And if it could get out its breath, it
would even cry, Abba^ Father ; my Lord and my
God ; but it is, as it were, fupprelTed and fmo-
thered, when it would fay fo, with prevailing un-
belief. Where true faith is, there is void, empti-
nefs and reftlefnefs of the foul, like the iifh out of
its element, or a bone out of joint, till fome view
of Chriil come, and then indeed it returns unto its-
rejl. I remember, after the creation oi Adam, God
caufed all the creatures to pafs before him j but
among them all there was not found an help meet
for him : There was fomething difagreeable and
unfatisfying in all the inferior creatures ^ fo that
though he had them all at his command, yet ftill
man was in a folitary condition. Gen. ii. 20. but,
fo foon as ever the woman was prefented to him,
he fays, verfe 23. 'This is bone of my bone, andflejh
of my fleJJj ; this indeed is a help meet for me.
Juft fo is it with the foul, in whom there is a prin-
ciple of true faith -, prefent riches, profits, plea-
fures, and all worldly contentments to him, he
ftill finds fomething unfuitable and unfavoury in
them all ; but let Chrifl be revealed to him, im-
mediately he cries out, O this is a help meet for me
indeed! Ifa. xi. ip. To hitn Jkall the G^ntiXts feek,
for his reft is glorious. Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. There is
nor.e in all the earth that I defire befde thee ; and.
Whom have I in heaven but thee f 3 . True faith,
though in the lowefl degree, will not reft there,
but breathes after higher degrees of faith. Set the
higheil degree of faith before a weak believer, tell
him of the faith of Abraham, how he believed
without daggering 5 the man will indeed be hum-
bled under a fenfe of his fhort-comings, and la-
ment his own unbelief 3 yet, at the fame time, he

will

opened and applied. 295

will find a breathing, and eager defire in his foul
to win fuch a length of believing : thus, like
Faul^ hs, forgets things that are behind^ and reacheth
forth after things that are before^ &c. When the
weak believer hears of the full alTurance of faith,
his language is, hord^ help ;;;y unbelief \ Lord^ in-
creafe my faith. I might tell you of many other
evidences of faith in its truth and reality, though
weak, as, that it works by love 3 it empties the
foul, and humbles it ; the' the man cannot fee
himfelf great in God's eyes, yet he fees himfelf
nothing in his own eyes ; as he values Chrift high-
ly, fo he values himfelf lefs than the leafl of all
God's mercies. But I do not infiil.

Inf. 5. Is it the will of God that we fhould
draw near to him in Chrift, with full affurance of
faith ? T^hen let iis ftiidy to do the will of God in this
matter. Seeing the door of the holieft is open^ the
way confecrated for us, and the High-Prief entred
within the njail ; let us draw near with a true hearty
in full afurance of faith. I exhort you not only
to believe^ but Xq be ftrong in the faith. Study to
have a faith proportioned, in fome meafure, to the
grounds of faith already mentioned.

But here a quejiion will readily be moved. Is it
the duty of all the hearers of the gofpel, at firfty
to believe after this manner, or to draw near with
a full afTurance of faith ? For anfwer, (i.) I grant,
that the firfi approaches of a finner to God in
Chrift by faith, are for the moft part weak and
feeble, attended with much fear and trembling,
through the prevalency and ftrength of unbelief,
a fenfe of utter unworthinefs, and awful impref-
lions of the glorious majefty of God ; all which
readily makes him, with the Publican, to Jiand
afar off, fmitijig on his breaft, crying, God have mer-

U 4 cy

296 The AJfurance of Faith ^

cy on me a firmer . But yet, (2.) I affirm, that
there is a fufficient ground laid in the gofpel-rcve-
lation and promife, for a finner, even in his firft
approach to God in Chrift, to come with fidl af-
furance of faith : This will evidently appear, if we
confider, that by the glorious gofpcl a v/ide door
of accefs is caft open unto all without exception ;
all grounds of unbelief and diftrull: are removed,
every bar and impediment, which might make them
to halt and helitate, is rolled away. This is given
in commiffion to miniflers, to prepare the way of
the people^ to caft up the high-way^ to gather
out the ftones^ and lift up a flandard unto the people ^
Ifa. Ixii. 10. When we call finners to believe, we
do not call them to come with a weak faith, or
with a doubting difputing faith ; but we invite and
call them to come with ajjurance of acceptance
and welcome, grounded upon his infallible word
of promife, come to me who will, 1 will in no wife
caft out. (3.) I find the Lord directing finners,
even in their firfi; approaches, to drav/ near to him,
in Chrifl, with full afiiirance of faith, Jer. iii. 19.
But I faid, how fhall I put thee among the children^
or gi've thee a pleafant portion, or a goodly heritage
of the hoft of nations ? Here is a very puzzling
queftion, fuch as none can anfwer but God him-
felf. Well, but what is the anfwer, which the Lord
puts in the finner's mouth ? Thou fhalt call me,
my Father, and fhall not turn away from me. The
firfi: breath of the fpirit of adoption, is, Abba Fa-
ther, Rom. viii. 15. a word of faith or confidence^
Chrift: puts words of afiiirance in our mouths,
teaching us, when we pray, to fay. Our Father
which art in heaven. And every one apart is to
fay, 7ny Father which art in heaven, &c. Agree-
able unto which is the diredion given, James i. 6.

opened and applied. 297

We are told, verfe 5. that if a?2y man (be he a faint,
or a finner,) lack unfdom^ let him ask of God, who
giveth to all vwi^ a?id upbraideth noty and it jlmll be
given him. Well, here is a noble encouragement
to all ; but they who would fpeed well, are order-
ed to come in the full affurance of faith, 've7fe 6.
But let him ask in faithy nothing waverings &c.
(4.) I find finners, in their firfl approaches, fome-
times pradifing this dired:ion, and coming with
words of aiTurancc, fer. iii. 22. fays the Lord,
Return y ye backjlidlng children^ and I will heal your
backjli dings. And what is the firfl eccho of faith
unto this call ? Behold, we come unto thee, for
thou art the Lord, Our God. So, Zach. xiii. 9.
/ will fay, it is my people j there is the word of
grace, and ground of faith : and the language of
faith, correfpondent thereunto, immediately fol-
lows, they JJjall fay, the Lord is my God, Ifa. xlv.
24. Surely, fliall one fay, In the Lord have I righ-
teoifnefs afid ftrength. Befides all this, none, I
think, can doubt, but it is the fmner's duty, at
firft, in obedience to the firft commandment, to
know, and acknowledge the Lord as God, and as
our God ; and, how this can be done but by be-
lieving, I cannot tell.

Well then, feeing there is fuch a door of faith
opened to finners in the gofpel, let finners enter in
with boldnefs and be faved, John x. 9. 7 am the
door (fays Chrifi:) by me if any man enter in, he
fiall be faved J and fall go in and outy and fnd
, pajlure.

Object. I . May the finner fay, how fhall I ad-
venture to draw near with afilu'ance of acceptance ?
/ have fuch a burden of fin and guilt lyi?ig upon me,
and it has fuch a prevalency and afcendant over
me, that my confidence is quite marred : for my

. part,

298 72^ j4Jfura72ce of Faith^

part, I may well fay with. Davi J, Pfalm xl. 12.
In?iumerable evils compajs mc about ^ mine iniquities,
have taken hold of me, that I a?n not able to look
lip 'j they are more than the hairs of my head, there-
fore my heart faileth me. To this I anfwer, (i.)
By way of conceffion, that it is indeed impoffible
for a perfon living in the love and pradice of lin,
to draw near to God with the confidence of faith ;
for, in the very adl of drawing near, the heart is
purified by faith in the blood of Jefus 3 or, as it
is expreffed in the latter claufe of the text, he hath
his heart fprinkled from an evil confcience, and
his body wajhed with pure water. In believing, we
ceafe to do evil, and learn to do well. Faith, ap-
prehending the mercy of God in Chrift, turns the
foul from -lin unto God : fo that it is as impoffible
for a perfon to draw near to God with the confi-
dence of faith, while he lives in the love and prac-
tice of fin, as it is for a perfon to come to you,
and go from you, at the fame inflant of time.
While the heart is in league with fin, it is depart-
ing from the Lord : How then in this cafe can the
finner draw near to God ? Far lefs can he draw
near with afiiirance of acceptance. There is a
great difference betwixt iniquity prevailing in the
heart, and iniquity regarded in the heart. In the
lafi: cafe, a perfon cannot draw near with accept-
ance, Pfalm Ixvi. 18. If I regard iniquity i?i ?ny
heart, the Lord will not hear me, q. d. If I love it,
or give it kindly harbour in my heart, God will
not accept of me, or of my prayers, becaufe, in
that cafe, he could not draw near with a true hearty
which is an infeparable concomitant of the afiii-
rance of faith. But in the former cafe, viz. of
prevaihng iniquity, it is not only poffible but ac-
tually precedented, for a perfon to draw near with

the

opened a?id applied, 299

the full affarancc of faith ; as we fee in the in-
ftance of David, Pfam Ixv. 3. Iniquity (fays he)
-prevails againft me. But what follows ? As for our
trafifgreffionsy thou fi.mlt purge them away. Now,
this being the cafe pointed at in the objedion, it
ouo-ht to be no prejudice, or hindrance to your
drawing near unto the holieft by the blood of Je-
fus, with full afTurance of faith, feeing he is faith-
ful who hath promifed acceptance in the beloved.
(2.) Whereas, O finner, thou complaineil of a
burden of fin and guilt lying upon thee, which
mars thy confidence ; I only ask,yi/r 'whom, thinkeft
thou, was the way to the holiefc opened by the
blood of Jefus ? Was it for the righteous^ or for
guilty finners ? An innocent, or holy perfon needs
no fuch way of accefs : it is only calculated and
fliaped for the guilty criminal and tranfgreffor,
fuch as thou art ; and though thy fins be as Jcar-
let, and red like crimjon, yet they fiall be as /now
and wool, that moment thou enters by the blood
of Jefus : and therefore, let us draw near with a
true heart in full alTurance of faith. Whither can
a guilty finner go, but to the Lord pardoning ini-
quity, tranfgreffion and fin ? Wliither can a pol-
luted linner go, fave to the fountain opened for fin
and uncleannefs ? 3 . The boldnefs and afTurance
of faith is not only confiflent, but is always ac-
companied with a foul-abafing fenfe of utter un-
worthinefs, becaufe of the guilt and filth and power
of fin : and the reafon of this is plain, becaufe, in be-
lieving, the man, thro' an uptaking of fin and guilt,
is carried out of himfelf to feek his ftanding and the
ground of his confidence in another, even in Chrifl,
and the mercy of God in him. So David, Pfalm
cxxx. 3, 4. If thou. Lord, mark iniquity, who Jhall
Jla?td? But there is forgivenefs with thee, that thou

mayefi

3 CO l^he AJfurance of Faith ^

mayefi be feared^ &c. And therefore let a fenle of
iin in its guilt and prevalency, carry thee out of
thy felf, to draw near by the blood of Jefus with
full a.flurance of faith. It was a prepofterous way
of reafoning in Feter to fay, luord^ depart from me,
for I am a jinful mail. He fliould rather have faid.
Lord, come to me, for I am a finful man : For,
where can a finner be better than with the Saviour
of iinners ?

Obje^i. 2. You call us to draw near with the af-
furance of faith i but, alas! how can I do this,
feeing I am in the dark about my inter ejl in Chrijlf
If I knew that I had peace with God, my fm par-
doned, my perfon accepted, and that I was in a
flate of grace and favour ; in that cafe I could draw
near with confidence indeed j but the cafe is quite
otherwife, clouds and darknefs are round about
me, I doubt if ever God dealt with my heart effec-
tually by his grace : Plow then can I draw near
widi the confidence of faith? A?ifw, (i.) If you
never draw near to God with the afTurance of faith^
till you come to a fenfible afliirance of your intereft
in Chrift, and of your being in a ftate of grace,
you will never draw near to him in your life; and
the reafon of this is, becaufe a fenfible afilirance of
an intereft in Chrift, is the fruit and effe5i of the
foul's drawing near by faith, and the effedt can ne-
ver go before its caufe. The way to come at that
alTurance of a ftate of grace, is to draw near w^ith
the afixirance of faith, grounded, not upon any
gracious work within you, but upon the gracious
promife of God in his word, and the mediation of
the great High-Prieft over the houfe of God, Heb,
iv. 14, 16. Seei?2guDe have a great High-Prieji, nsoho
is pafftd into the heavens, fcfus the iion of God, let us
therefore come with boldnefs to the throne of grace, &c.

Faitk

cpe7ted and applied, 30 1

Faith (as I faid juft now) ftill feeks a ground of
confidence, not in grace received, nor in any thing
within the man, but only in Chrifl, and the gra-
cious promife of acceptance through him: and
therefore, the beft way in the world to win above
all thefe doubts, fears, and perplexities anent your
gracious Hate, is, by a direB a6t of faith, to go
in to God by the new and living way, alTuring
and perfuading your own fouls, that a God of
grace and love hates putthig away. Ifa. 1. 10. He
that walks in darknefs and hath no lights What courfe
is he to take ? Let him trujl in the name of the
Lord^ and Jfay himfelf upon his God. Where, by
the name of the Lord, we are to underftand the grace
and mercy, power and faithfulnefs of God, pawn-
ed in the promifes of the covenant. Here we arc
to caft anchor; upon thefe we are to build the
confidence and afiTurance of faith, when we have
nothing to look or truft to. Faith, both in its
firft ad:, and in its after-adtings, faflens upon this
name of the Lord; when at firfi; it fetches the foul
out of the darknefs of a natural flate, and when
afterward, by its renewed adings, it brings the
foul from under the dark and black clouds of de-
fertion, temptation and defpondency, it llill trufts
in the name of God, as it is fet in Chrifi:, and fet
forth in the covenant, particularly the ahfolute pro-
mifes thereof. And therefore, tho' indeed, in the
duty of feif-examination, we are to look inward
for the marks and evidences of grace, in order to
our arriving at an afiTurance o^fenfe : yet, in the du-
ty of believing, and in order to our coming at the
afihrance of faith, we mufl look wholly outward
to the prcrmfe, and the 72ame of God pledged
therein. Thus- did ^brahatn, the father of the

faithful.

302 The AJfura7tce of Faith ^

faithful, Rom, iv. 20, 21. and fo muft we, if we
would be the true feed of Abraham,

Objetl. 3 . You call finners to believe, and to be-
lieve with an alTuFed faith ; but to what purpofe is
all this ? may one fay; Faith is the Gift of God ^ the
work of his fpirit, / ha^-oe no power to believe, till
God work it in 7ne ; and therefore, all this labour
in perfuading us to believe might be fpared. I
anfwer, your own inability to believe, by any
ftrength or power of yours, is fo far from being
an argument againft, that it is one of the flrongefl
arguments why you fliould believe : for, when we
call you to believe, we do not call you to worky
or do any thing by your own power j but, be-
caufe you havje no power to truft in the doings
and ftrength of another, who, as he has wrought
all your works for you, fo engages himfelf by
promife, to work all your works in you : [and par-
ticularly, being the author and finif}:>er of faith,
is ready and willing to fulfil in you all the good
pleafure of his goodnefs, and the moork of faith
with power. Every creature anfwers its name, and
will God be wanting to anfwer his ? No furely,
the name that he takes to himfelf is declarative of
his nature ; and therefore, fince he has taken this
name to himfelf, of being the author of faith, and
the fnif/jer thereof, we may, with the greatefl
affurance of faith, truf in this name of the Lordy
that he will both begin the good work, and carry
it on to the day of the Lord Jefus. And this
very committing of the work of faith unto him,
from a fenfe of your own inability, is that be-
lieving which we urge and call you to. Faith
is a grace which juft fprings out of the ruin of
all felf-fufficiency and excellency ; finding neither
. righteoufnefs nor ftrength within, it looks abroad,

and

opened and applied, 30^5

and cries, Purely in the Lord have I right eouf?jefs and
Strt'figth.

Unbelief and carnal reafon are ready to argue,
becaufeGod by his fpirit mufl do all, therefore
we will fit flill and do nothing : but the fpirit of
God, whofe reafonings I am fure are infinitely
better, argues after a quite different manner, PhiL
ii. 13. ^ork out the work of your fahatioji with
fear and trembling ; for it is God that worketb i?i
you J both to will and to do of his own good plea fure.
O what glorious encouragement is here for a
poor impotent finner to eflay and aim at believ-
ing ! here is the arm of omnipotency, reaching
forth itfelf for the help and through-bearing in
the work he calls thee to. Up therefore and be
doing, for thy God commands thy ftren^h, and
therefore let him be the glory of thy Jirengtb.

But fay you, feeing we cannot work the work
of faith, why does he yet command it? Is it not
a hardfliip to require of us what we have no ability
to do ? Anf. I . Why do you fend your little
children to fchool with the A, B, C, in their hands,
before they can read one letter ? You don't think
it a hardfhip to put the book in their hand and bid
them read, tho' they know not a letter, becaufe
you offer to teach them yourfelf, or by another in
your place. So here, we are commanded to work
the work of God, which is to believe in him whom
he hath fent ; which is yet no hardfliip, notwith-
flanding our utter inability for it in ourfelves, be-
caufe, at the fame time that he commands be^
lieving, he tells us, for our encouragement, that
he himfelf is the author of faith, and his ready to
work in us both to will and to do. If a mafter
(hould command a fervant to poife or lift a burden
which he is not able to move, or to work a turn

wi.ich

304 ^he Affurance of Faith ^

which he has no ikill to manage ; it might indeed
difcourage the fervant from attempting it, if he
were required to do it by his own ftrength or ikill :
but when the mailer tells him, I will aiTiil, I will
dired:, I will do ally only put to thy hand-y what
fervant would refufe, or decline the fervice in this
cafe ? Or if he ihould, do you not think he would
deferve to be beaten with many ilripes ? The ap-
plication is obvious : it is God's ordinary way to
come and join with the poor foul, and enable it to
believe, while, in obedience to his command, it
is aiming to believe in Chriil. Like a kind maiter
of a fchool, when the child in obedience to him
takes the pen in his hand, and fcribbles the beil way
he can, the mailer takes his hand in his, and leads
and learns him to write : fo, when we take, as
it were, the pen in our hand, and oiter to write,
at his command, he takes our hand in his, di-
reding, ilrengthning, and enabling us to believe.
So that, if there be but a willing mind to this
work, it is accepted : where he gives to ijoilly he
will alfo give to doy of his good pleafure ; thefe
two are infeparably connedled in the order of
God's covenant.

But you may ilill objeft, all the endeavours of a
natural man are ilill but natural and iinful adions -,
And will ever God concur by his almighty power
with the ads or endeavours of nature ? AnJ. Altho'
God be not obliged to concur with the endeavours
of nature, yet fuch is his grace, love, and good-
will toward man upon earth, fuch is the ilrength
of his deiire after our falvation, fuch the pleafure he
has in a iinner's believino;, fuch a reeard has he to
what he himfelf has commanded, that we find him
inany times aclualiy concuring with the poor help-
lefs linner, in his impotent aimings at obedience to

what

ope?ted and applied, 3 ^ <

what he calls for. It v/as no gracious principle,
that moved Naama?i tlie Syrian to go wafb in the
waters of Jhrdan, yet, becaufe he did what was
commanded, God was pleafed to concur with the
mean of his own appointment, and cured his
leprous body, and, for ought I know, his foul
alio. Let us believe as we can, in obedience to
God's command, and in a dependence upon his
Almighty power 5 and while we are doing
fo, although the adt be, at the beginning, but
natural, yet, in the very ad:ing, promifed and pur-
chafed grace may ftrike in, and turn it into a fu-
pernatural ad; of believing : as when Chrift was
about to v/ork that famous miracle at Cana in
Galilee, he does not firfl turn the water into wine,
but he firfl bids them pour out the water, and, in
pouring of it out, the water was changed into
wine J fo the loaves were multiplied, while the dif-
ciples, in obedience to the command of Chrift,
were dividing them among the multitude : juft fo
here, while the poor foul, in a fubordination to
the divine power, and in obedience to the divine
command, is attempting to believe, a God of grace
changes the attempt into a true genuine faith ; fo
that the foul, through the mighty power of God,
ere ever it is aware, is brought really to believe,
and that in a way it knows not hov/ ; for the wind
blows where it lifleth, thou heareft the found
of it, but canft tell whence it comes, or whither
it goeth : So is every one that is horn ofthefpirit.

Thus, I fay, in the very acting of faith we are
enabled to a6t it ; when we take the pen in our
hand, God takes us by the hand, and writes for
us, leading us in the way we know 7iot. It js with
us in ^£'//Viw/§- many times, ^^iw-praying-y the man
goes to prayer, widi his heart as cold as the ice, and

X as

JO 6 7^^ Affurance of Faith ^

as hard as the nether mill-ftone ; he cannot open a
mouth before the Lord, his tongue is tacked, his
heart is locked up : but yet, while the poor foul
is aiming to pour out its heart into God's bofom,
the fpirit of the Lord falls on him, even the fpi-
rit of grace and fupplication, whereby his bonds
are loofed, and his foul made like the chariots of
Amminadib. So while the poor foul is aiming at
believing, the fpirit of faith comes, and concurs
with it, exerting that exceeding great and mighty
power which raifed Chrift from the dead, where-
by he comes to be filled v^\\h.joy and peace in be-
lieving.

Perhaps you may fay. You urge us much to ef-
fay believing j but pray, give us your beft advice
how to manage in this matter : O that the fpirit
of God may concur ! There are thefe tv/o or
three things I offer, by way of advice, to you who
are in good earneft ; and O what man is there that
has a foul to be faved, and who looks forward to
a vail eternity of well or woe, that fliould not be
In good earneft as to this matter ! My Jirjl advice
then is this. Study to have your hearts well Jiored
with all thefe conf.derations, which are jit fewel, and
matter, whereby faith is ingenerated, or begotten in the
hearts of fmners. Although the adt of faving faith
be the effed: of the divine power and grace, yet
it is in die power of nature, by a common con-
courfe, to ftock and ftore the mind with thefe
things, which are the feed of faith. The hufband-
man, though he cannot make one grain of corn to
grow, yet he can plow and fow his ground ; and
when he has done his part, he leaves the feed un-
der the clod, and looks up to heaven for the water-
ings of the former and latter rains : and according-
ly God for ordinary crowns his endeavour with

fuccefs.

opened and applied, 307

fuccefs, making the heavens to hear the earth, and
the earth to hear the corn, whereby it brings forth
ten, twenty, or an hundred-fold. So here, let
us»do what is incumbent on us, and what we
have power in an ordinary way to do : let us fow
the feeds, I mean, let us llore our minds with the
pure and precious truths of God, and acquaint
ourfelves with thefe things which are to be be-
lieved, as they are laid before us in the holy oracles
of the fcriptures of truth ; and, having thus laid
in the feed into the ground, or foil of our hearts, let
us look heavenward, and wait for a fhower of the
fpirit's influences, according to that word of grace
or promife, IJa. xliv. 3. / will pour water on the
thirjly^ and floods upon the dry ground. You know,
they that offered facrifices of old, tho' they could
not make fire come down from heaven to confume
their facrifites, yet they could fetch the bullock
out of the ftall, or the lamb out of the fold j they
could bring it to the altar, and bind it with cords
to the horns of the altar j they could gather their
flicks, and lay in proper fewel ; and having done
their part, they looked up to heaven for the ce-
leftial fire to fet all on a flame together : in like
manner, I fay, do what is incumbent on you, ga-
ther your flicks, lay in the proper fewel of faith,
flore your minds with the miaterials of believing
which you are daily reading or hearing in the
word : fludy to imprefs your fouls with the doc-
trines of your loft eftate in the firft Adam, and
the way of your falvation by grace, in and thro'
the fecond Adam Jefus Chrift: think upon the
near approach that the high and lofty One has
made to us in the perfon of his eternal Son, by
his manifcftation in our nature, when he pafs by
the nature of angels : O think on the excellency

X 2 of

3o8 Tie Ajjurance of Faith^-

of his perfon, as he is Emmanuel, God-Man,
God with us, God on our fide to bruife the head
of the old fcrpent, who had fpoiled and ruined
us : think upon his furetifhip and fubilitutioa in
our room, how he was made fm for us, that we
might be made the righteoufnefs of God in him ;
how he was made a curfe for us, that we might
be redeemed from the curfe \ how he was deliver-
ed for our offences, and raifed again for our jufli-
fication : think upon the fulnefs of grace and
truth, of merit and fpirit, that is in him ; and
how all that fulnefs of grace that is laid up in him,
is laid out to us in a covenant of grace and pro-
mife, and that promife or covenant left to ns^ and
put in our hands, and we required to take hold of
it^ to make ufe of it in a way of believing.
Thefe are fome of the materials of faith 5 faith
comes by hearing of thefe things, and by thinking
and meditating upon them : by thefe things do
men live, and in all thefe things is the life of our
fpirits, Ifa. xxxviii. 6. and therefore revolve them
in your minds, roll them like a fweet morfel un-
der your tongues, think and think again upon
them ; and, in thinking, prefent them to your un-
derflanding, as things v/herein your eternal flate
is concerned. You have as good ground to
exped; the concurring power of the fpirit of
faith, in this v/ay and method, to fulfil in you
the work of faith with power, as ever they of
old had to look for the celeftial fire to come down
and confume their facrifices, as a teflimony of
the divine acceptance, when they had, accord-
ing to the command of God, done what was
incumbent on them, nxv preparing their mate-
rials.

(2.) Ano*

ope7ied and applied^ ^09

(2) Another advice I give you is this, fludy
not only to gather thefe materials of faith, but to
be fully pcrfuaded of the truth and certainty of
every thing that God has revealed in his word, cf-
pecially of thefe things which relate more imme-
diately to the myilery of falvation through CI j rill.
We mufl needs believe the report of the Gofpcl,
and fet our fed to the record of God in his. word :
particularly, be fully perfuaded that you are bank-
rupt, ruined and loft to all intents and purpofes
by the breach of the firil covenant, being under
the wrath of God, the curfe of the law, and the
power of fatan j and that you have no more pow-
er to relieve yourfelves out of this miferable con-
dition, than the new-born infant cafl: out into the
open field, Ezek. 16. and, in digging into this 7~ock
nvhence you iDcre heivu, be not afraid to go to the
bottom, I mean, to know the woril: of yourfelves ;
for true faith fprings out of the ruin of felf ; de-
fpair and felf-lothing make way for a fuitable priz-
ing and improving of the blelTed remedy ; want
of neceffaries at home, obliges men to go abroad,
either to beg or buy where they may have them.
The denial of felf, in point of righteoufnefs and
Hrength, lands the foul in Chriil, faying, Surely in
the Lord have I righteoufnefs and ftrength. Again,
ftudy to be fully alTured, that there is no help or
relief for you out of yGur loft condition, but on-
ly by faith's acceptance and application of Chrift
upon the warrant of God's word of grace ^ there
is no coming to the Father but by him, no other
name whereby men can be faved 3 every other
door of accefs is barred and condemned iince the
fall. Be convinced of Chrift's ability and fuffici-
ency to fave you from fin, and all its difmal train
of miferies 5 he is a mighty redeemer, on whom

X 3 God*

3 T o The AJfurance of Faith^

God hath laid our help, able to fave to the very
uttermofl : be perfuaded that he is a Saviour eve-
ry v^^ay calculated and fuited unto thy neceffity,
being made of God unto us, vv^ifdom, righteouf-
nefs, fandtification and redemption ; and that his
office as a Saviour, as well as his own promife,
obliges him to fave every one that comes to him
in a way of believing : that everlafting life is yours,
and you actually have it that moment you re-
ceive him as the free gift of God ; He that hath
the Son hath life : that there is no condition or
qualification, no work or duty required in the
word of God, in order to procure a right and ti-
tle to eternal life ; but that you are to come in upon
Chrifl's title, who is the righteous heir, and who
has made a difpofition or affignation of his right
to us in his teftam^ent, without any clogs or con-
ditions. For if you adventure to make your
works, duties, or any good thing in you, the con-
dition of Chrift's latter-will, you alter the will of
the dead, you in eifed: deftroy the freedom of a
covenant of grace, and build up a partition-wall
betv/een Chriil and you, which you fliall never
be able to climb over.

(3.) Another advice I give you is this, believe
t^at it is your duty to believe in obedience to the
e ^prefs command of God, with an eye to his pro-
mifed fpirit. Firfl view the grounds that your
faith has to go upon, already fpoken to j and then
cail your eye upon the divine command and call,
warranting, encouraging, and requiring you to
venture upon thefe grounds ; and, fo long as thefe
are kept in view, there is no fear of prefumption :
how can it be prefumption to obey the exprefs
command of heaven ? Yea, the greateft command
that ever was ilTued out to man from the throne

opened and applied, 711

of glory above, i 'John iii. 23. He fpeaks as if there
were no other command in the word of God ; be-
caufe we fulfil the whole law as a covenant, in
the very firft adl of believing, by renouncing our
own, and fubmitting to the law-biding, and law-
magnifying righteoufnefs of the Son of God ; and
thereby our perfonal obedience alfo to the law as a
rtiky is fet upon fuch a footing as to be accepted
in the beloved : for, let us do what we will, we
fliall never pleafe God, or be accepted of him, till
we believe in the name of his Son, Heb. xi. 6.
And therefore I fay again, aim at believing, in
obedience to the command of God : it is as much
your duty to believe, as to obey any command of
the moral law ; and difobedience to this command
of believing, will damn you eternally, yea, do it
more effe(ftually than murder, adultery, theft, or
any other breach of the law that I can name.
Pray tell me, firs, why do you ever bow a knee,
or open a mouth to God in prayer ? Do you fet
about this duty, becaufe you have power and
ftrength in yourfelves to pierce heaven by your
prayers, or to order your caufe before God ? No
furely, but becaufe God has commanded you to
call upon him, therefore, powerlefs as you are,
though you know not how to pray, or what to
pray for, yet you eflay it : now, why do you not
the fame in the cafe oi believing, as in praying,
fince the one is commanded as well as the other ?
For I fay, you have as little power in yourfelves
to pray aright, as to believe aright. There are
many, who, as I was faying before, fhift off the
great duty of believing from day to day, under
this pretext, that they want power to believe : but
this is an objedion that militates againft all duties,
as well as that of believing. We are not fufficient

X 4 of

312 Tloe Afftirance of Faith^ .

of ourfelves, to think any thing as of ourfelves,
as the apoftle affures us; but will you, for this rea-
fon, defift from any effay to think upon what is
good and beneficial to your fouls ? no, we try me-
ditation, we aim to think on what is good, and in
mufnig the fire burns ; God comes in with the
breathings of his fpirit, and then our meditations
of him are fweet, and we are glad in the Lord :
fo, while the foul, from a fenfe of its loft eftate,
is aiming to roll and reft itfelf on Chrift in obedi-
ence to the command of God, God comes in with
his fpirit of faith, and fills us with joy and peace
in believing.

(4.) Although you fhould not find any fenfible
concurrence' of the power of God coming along
with your aiming at obedience to the command of
believing, yet give it not over, but ft ill continue
the attempt ; wait on the Lord, and be of good coiir^
age J and he fiall Jlrengthen thine heart j ivait^ ^fiy^
on the Lord. ObjeB. I have often attempted to
believe, but yet I am as far from it as ever j the
pov/er of God does not come along, and therefore
I may quite give it over. For anfwer, I refer you
to a word, Heb. x. 36, 37. Te have need of pa-
tience^ that, after ye have done the will of God, ye
might receive the promife. For yet a little while^
and he that fiall co?7je, will come, and will not tari'y.
In trying to ad: faith in obedience to the divine
command, ye have need of patience ; for he that
believeth, doth not make hafte. You muft refolve
to believe, and wait, and wait, and believe, and
never give it over : and, when ye have done the
will of God in this matter, as you can, you muft
hold on with them that have clean hands, even
though you find no fenfible influence concurring ;
■ for it is the command of God in his word, and

not

opened and applied* 313

not the influence of the Spirit, that is the rule and
meafurc of your duty. And if you continue do-r
ing the will of God in this matter, with an eye to
him, who is the author and finifher of faith, you
may afilire yourfeives, that in a Httle v/hile, he
that fliall come, will come, and will not tarry. It
is the W// of Godj and the work of GoJ, which
thou art aiming at, even to believe in him isohom he
hath fent ; and will not a God of grace and love,
with whom compaffions flow, put to his hand to
his own work, and help a poor creature to do
what is his own will? Yea, furely thou mayefl:
be coffdmt of this very tbifig, when he has pafl^ed
his word for it, that he will work in thee both to
will and to do of his own. good pleafiire. . There is
nothing in all the world fo plcaflng to God, as to
fee a poor foul aiming to clofe with," and accept of
his Chrifl j he is, as it wefet pained at the heart,
when finners are backward to believe in his fon j
and, will he not then be forward to help a poor
foul that is aiming at it ? You know, an indulgent
mother, when her breafls are full and fwelled with
milk, will be ready, not only to draw out her
breaft, but to help her poor infant toward it, when
in want of milk, or aiming to fuck. Has a
mother fuch compaflion toward her fucking
child, and. Is there not infinitely more com-
paflion with the Father of mercies toward a poor
foul, that is trying to fuck the full breafts of his
grace and mercy drawn out to all in a gofpel dif-
penfation ? He v/hofe bowels are fending out a
found after iinners in the gofpel-call, vv^iil not be
wanting to lend his helping hand to enable you
to believe j and therefore, fay with David, Pfalm
xlii. Hope in God, for I Jhall yet praife him^ for
the help of his cciwtenancc,

OhjcB.

314 ^^ A^icrance of Faith ^

OhjeB. I have tried believing fo long and fo of-
ten, that I am quite wearied, my ftrength is gone,
and yet no power from above, what fliall I do ?
God takes no notice of me. AnJ. Ifa. xl. 27, 28.
&c. Wloy fayeji thou, 0 Jacob, a7id fpeakeft, O If-
rael, my way is hid from the Lo7'd, aftd 7ny judgment
is pajjed ovei" from my God F Hajl thou not known ?
Haji not thou heard, that the everlajiing God, the
Lord, the Creator of the e?2ds of the earth, fainteth
net, neither is weary ? Inhere is no fearching out of
his underftanding. He givetb power to the faint,
mid to them that have ?io might, he increafeth
ftrength. Thou imagineil, that God's helping hand
is withdrawn, and that he takes no notice of thy
aims to believe j but, why fayeft thou fo ? He is
nearer than thou apprehendefi: -, behold, he ftand-
eth behind our wall, ready to give grace, and mer-
cy to help in time of need, ready to give power
to the faint, and ftrength to them that have no
might : and power from on high to believe, is
neareft, when we are moll carried out of ourfelves
in point of ftrength and fuliiciency, and therefore
give it not over ; wait, I fay, on the Lord, for
they that wait on him iliall renew their ftrength.
It is only the weak man that will lean to the help
ot another -, now, faith is a leaning on Chrifi,
when we cannot ftand alone, Cant. viii. 5. Who is
this that Cometh up through the wildernefs leajmig on
her beloved? It is only the wearied man, that will
fit down and reft him ; now, faith is the foul's
refting in or upon Chrift, Pfalm xxxvii. Reji in
the Lord, and wait patiently on him, Heb. iv. He
that hath believed hath entred into his reft. When a
man can do nothing elfe, when he is fo feeble that
he cannot put his hand to a turn, yet he can reft
him : fo here, becaufe thou art weak, and with-
out

ope?ied and applied* 315

out ftrength for any work of the law, therefore
the Lord calls thee to reft thy weary, finking foul
upon the Lord Jefus, on whom he has laid thy
help ; and therefore, let thy weaknefs encourage
thee to revive, inftead of difcouraging thee.

But now, I come to offer a word of exhorta-
tion to thefe whofe hearts do fall in with the fore-
going exhortation. Do ye now believe, tho' in
the weakeft degree ? Let me exhort you not to
reft in a low meafure of faith, but prefs after the
higheft degree of it. Forget things behind, reach
forth unto things that are before j believe better
than ye have yet done. Go on from faith to faith,
and thus learn to draw near with a true heart, in
FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH:
and thus you fhall be fe children of faithful
Abraham, who Jlaggered not at the prcmife through
U7ihelief, hut was Jlrong in the faith, ginning glory
to God ', being fully perfuaded, that what he had pro-
mifedy he was able alfo to perform. You fee what
was the ground of Abrahams faith, by which he
believed without ftaggering ^ it was nothing elfe
but the promife of life and falvation, through a
Meffiah to come : well, you have the very fame
ground of faith laid before you, with a far greater
advantage now under the new teftament, namely,
the promife of acceptance, peace, pardon, grace
and glory, through a Meffiah, who is already
come, and finifhed the work which the Father
gave him to do ; and therefore, believe v/ithout
ftaggering, as he did.

That I may quicken you to prefs after a higher
meafure of faith, I offer the following conlidera-
tions. ( I.) Little faith is not eafily difcerned, it is
but like a grain of m-uftard-feed lying in the
groundj v/hich one can fcarce diftin2;uiili from the

duff,

3i6 Z5^ Affurance of Faith ^

cluil which Ues under his feet ^ and when faith is
not difcerned, God lofes the glory of his ov/n
grace, and you alfo lofe the comfort of it. -(2.)
The world we live in requires a flrong faith j it is
a den of lions, and a mountain of leopards ; the
roaring lyon is going about feeking to devour ; red-
feas and 'Jordans of trouble lie in our way to Ca-
naan^ through the howling wildernefs. Storms
and tempers of perfecution and tribulation may
blow, which will make the flrong believer to ilag-
ger and fhake ; and if fo, has not the weak be-
liever rcafon to fortify himfelf, by ftudying to be-
iieve better than he has done ? For it is by faith
that we fiand in an evil day. (3.) Contentment
with little faith, is no good lign of the reality of
faith : for (as was hinted before) .it is of the na-
ture of true grace, to breathe after its own per-
fection. They who have the leaft degree of it,
prefs after the higheft. They that know the Lord,
follow on to knov/ him. (4.) Confider the ad-
vantages of a firong faith, beyond a weak, ij}^
A ftrong faith hath a firm and folid peace coming
along with it, IJa. xxvi. 3. T^hoii iJuilt keep him in
ferfeB peace ^ "wkcfe mind is Jlayed upon thee : but
weak faith has its peace diflurbed at every turn of
providence. 2dlyj Strong faith brings great joy
with it ; hence v/e are faid to be filled with joy
and peace in believing j yea, the joy of a lively
faith, is a joy unfpeakable and full of glory, i
Pcf. i. 8. But nov/ the weak believer, though he
may perhaps fometimes be filled with the joy of
fenfe, yet he has but little of the joy of believing ;
hence it is, than whenever fenfe is withdrawn, he
is in the very fuburbs of hell, crying, the Lord
hath forgotten to be gracious, his promnfe fails for
evermore. 3^/V, Strong faith is more fleady in a

ftorm.,^

ope7Jed and applied* 317

florm, than a weak faith is. Strong faith, when
the Itorm blows, cafls out the anchor cf hope^
and rides in fafcty, crying, I will not be afraid,
though the mountains fimild be removed^ and cajl
into the midfi of the fcas^ and the waters roar. But
now weak faith, like Feter^ walking on the wa-
ters, is ready, at every billow, to cry out, Majier^
I pcrijh. When created comforts fail, when the
fields yield no increafe, weak faith is ready to fay,
I and my family will perifli : but ftrong faith will
fay, up the heart, there is no fear, my bread ftmll
be given 7ne, my water Jl:all be [lire j becaufe a God
of truth hatli faid it, whofe is the earthy and the
fidnej: thereof. He that feeds the ravens, will not
let his children flarve : he that clothes the liliesy
will not let me go naked, /f^thly. Strong faith has
more confidence and boldnefs, in entring into the
holieft, more moyen and interefl: in heaven, than
weak faith has, John xiv. 13. 14. Mark vii. 24.
fames i. 6. Weak faith, although God will not
rejed: its fuits, yet its returns are not fo clear and
full : yea, I will adventure to fay, that unbelieving
doubts, and fears, and jealoufies, mar the fuccefs
of many a good petition. 5/M', Strong faith makes
the approaches of death more eafy than they are
to the weak believer. Strong faith takes up the
telefcope of the promife, and looks beyond death,
to the land afar off, and rejoiceth in the hope of
the glory of God, faying, as the head Chrift did,
Tfahn xvi. My heart is glad, my glory rejoiceth,
my flefh fliall reil in hope : for he hath fliewed
me the path of life, the new and living w^ay to'
thefe rivers of pleafures, and that fulnefs of joy,
which are at God's right hand for evermore. Strong
faith viewing an exalted Redeemer, it fees death
and hell among the trophies of his vi'flory, and

tliereupon

3 1 8 The AjJiiraJtCe of Fait by

thereupon triumphs over it as a vanquifhsd and
flain enemy, faying, O death, ivhere is thy Jiing ?
O grave, where is thy viBory ? thanks be imto God,
who giveth 7ne the viBory through Jefiis Chriji my
'Lord. But now weak faith fliivers and trembles at
the approaches of death, left it fhould be fwallowed
up in the fwellings of that Jordan. Let thefe
conliderations, I fay, quicken you to breathe after
the increafe of your weak faith, that you may draw
near with full aiTurance of faith.

I conclude this whole difcourfe with a word,
i/?, of encouragement; idly, of advice to weak
believers : for our glorious mafter has commanded
us to ftrengthen the weak hands, and confirm the
feeble knees; and to fay to them that are of a
fearful fpirit, be ftrong, fear not.

ijl, A word of comfort and encouragement to
the poor tender lambs and weaklings in God's flock,
who are frequently halting and daggering through
the prevalency of unbelief, (i.) Know for thy
comfort. That the weakeft believer is as nearly
related to God as a Father, as the ftrongefl: belie-
ver is. The weakefl and youngeft babe in a fa-
mily, is as fib to the father as the firfl-born, or
the fon who is come to his fall ftrength and fta-
ture. Every branch of the tree is not alike flrong
or big, and yet the tendereft twig is as really
united to the root, and as really partakes of the
fap of the root, as the ilrongefi: and mofi; prin-
cipal branch : fo he;-e, the weakefi; believer is in
Chriil, and partakes of his fpirit, as well as the
ftrongefl (2.) The weak believer is clothed with
the white raiment of Chrift's righteoufnefs, and
is as much jufi:ified thereby as the ftrongefl:. Our
great High Prieft is clothed with a garment down

opened and applied, 319

to his feet, whereby every member of his body
myftical is equally covered. It is equally true of
every believer, that there is no condemJiation to them
that are in Chrift^ Rom. viii. i. (3.) The leaft
and weakefl degree of faith fliall hold out to the
end. They are all kept by the power of God through
faith unto falvation. He will not break the bruifed
reed, nor quench the fmoaking flax : where the
good work is begun, his faithfulnefs is engaged
to carry it on to the day of Chrift. The weakcft
degree of faith has glory and falvation knit to it,
by God's promife, as well as the ftrongefl : it is
not he that believes ftrongly fiall be faved, but he
that believes indefinitely, whether his faith be weak
or ftrong. (4.) Our blelTed Redeemer for ordinary
vents his affedtion in a more tender and fenfible
manner toward weak believers, than toward the
ftrong. The good Shepherd of Ifrael^ he carries
the lambs in his bofom, and gently leads them
that are with young : hence it comes, that weak
believers have commonly more fenfible ravifiiing
joys and confolation than ftrong believers. Much
like a wife and affedtionate parent, who will take
his young infant on his knee, dandle it, and hug
it in his bofom, while he will not allow his
aftedions to run out after fuch a manner toward
his fon of age and ftature, for that were to make
a fool of him.

May the poor weak believer fay, thefe are ftrong
confolations indeed, if I might lay claim unto
them ; but that is what I ftiil fear, that I have
no faith at all, no, not like a grain of muftard-
feed. Befides what was faid to this in the former
part of the difcourfe, I ftiall only afk thefe two
queftions. (i.) Does not thy Heart throb and

faint

320 l^he AJfuraTice of Faith ^

faint within thee, when thou thinks of a parting
with the Lord Jefus ? If fo, this fays, that his
love is fhed abroad in tliy heart by the Holy
Ghoft, and confequently a root and principle of
faith, from whence it flov/s, cleaving to the Lord
like the iron touched with the loadflone : and I
tell thee good news, that as thou hateil to be put
away .from him, fo he hates piitiing aivciy^ and
therefore there never iliall be afeparation. (2.) Does
thou not find a reftlefnefs in thy fpirit, and un-
eafinefs in thy bofom, v/hen the Lord withdraws,
like a bone out of joint, or a fifli out of its ele-
ment ? If fo, the root of faith is within 3 Clirift
has been with thee in a way of grace and love,
otherwife thou could not diftinguiili between ab-
fence and prefence. And if ever Chriil made thee
a vifit, his firil vifit fhall not be his lafi: ; for his
goings forth are prepared or fecured like the
morning.

2dly, I come to fliut up all with a few advices
to weak believers, in order to the increafe of their
faith toward a full affurance. (i.) Be humbled
under a fenfe of remaining unbelief, and the weak-
nefs of your faith ; for the Lord giveth grace, and
more grace, to the humble. The more that felf
is- pulled down, the higher is Chrift exalted in a
way of believing. (2.) Be greedy of more faith.
Covetoufnefs in other tilings of this world is ido-
latry : but this is among the beft things which you
are allov/ed earneftly to covet 5 and the more you
covet and defire of the fpirit of faith, the more you
fhall get : for he fatisjieth the lo?tgi?ig fiid^ aiidjiU
leth the hungry foul with gocdnefs. Open thy mouth
wide, m2d I will fll it. (3.) Be well acquainted
with the grounds of faith, as tliey are laid in the
gofpel-revelation, feme of which I have pointed

ope?ied a72d applied. 321

at In the preceeding difcourfe. I am perfuaded
that one great reafon why fo many do not beheve
at all, and why the faith of many real believers
remains fo weak, is their unacquainted nefs with the
ilrong and fure grounds that their faith has to
build upon. Weak timorous believers, fixed upon
the foundation God hath laid in Zion^ are juft like
a man {landing on a firm immovable rock, his
head turns giddy, and he imagines that the rock
is turning upfide down with him, while the failure
is not in the rock, but in his own head. Our faith
fails us through our unacquaintednefs with the f!a-
bility of God's covenant and promife : and there-
fore, I fay, ftudy to be better acquainted with the
promife and faithfulnefs, power and love of the
promifer. (4.) If you would have weak faith in-
creafed and ftrengthncd, then be frequently exer-
cifing any weak faith you have : for gracious as
well as natural habits are increafed and improved
by repeated a(5ts. To him that kath^ and improveth
well what he hath, fliall be given. This is the
way to have your mite turned into a talent ; and
your talent of faith, by frequent exercife, fliall in
due time become as ten talents. (5.) When you
get any fenfible experiences of the Lord's love,
improve them, not as the grounds of your faith,
but as encouragements to go on in trufting and be-
lieving, upon the grounds of faith laid before you
in the word. Thefe fenfible taftes of the Lords
loving-kindnefs are given you, not that you Ihould
dote upon the fweetnefs of them, but to encou-
rage and further you in trufting and believing,
Ffal. xxxvi. 6. How excellent is thy loving kindjiefs,
O God ! therefore thefons of men put their, truft un-
dcr the flmdow of thy wings. It is a common fault
among many believers in our day, when they find

y any

32 2 The Affurance of Faith ^ ^c.

any thing of fenfible prefence, then indeed they
rejoice, and they have good reafon fo to do : but
no fooner doth a cloud come, but their faith as
well as their joy evaniflies, and they have as little
trufi: to put in the word and promife of the God
of their life, when his back is turned, or he out
of their fight, as though they had never received
a kindnefs at his hand. And this is a reafon, I
am convinced, why it fares fo ill with many of
us at this day : and therefore let us amend it.
And what comfort and joy we find in his prefence,
let it encourage and engage us to trufl and hope,
and wait and believe in him, when abfent to our
fenfe. And if we thus improve the marks of grace
and corifolations of his fpirit, the joy of the Lord
fhall be our ftrength -, and our path fhall be in-
deed as the path of the juft, and as the fiining
lights 'which jhineth more and more unto the per-"
fe£i day.

I'he LAMB in the midft of the
throne.

BEING

A SERMON preached immediately be-
fore the celebration of the facrament of the
LORD'S SUPPER, at Dunfermline "June
lo, 1733.

By Mr. Ralph Erskine.

A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of
our foMciuary. Jer. xvii. 12.

Rev. vii. 17.

For the Lamb^ which is in the midjl of
the throne^ Jhall feed them^ &c.

WE are met this day to celebrate the me-
morials of the love of Chrift, in his death
and crucifixion upon mount Calvary ; and that our
faith may look to him in the beft light, and to
the beft advantage, v^^e are to remember, not only
where he once w^as, but where he now is : and
we will find, we need not be afhamed of a cruci-
fied Chrift that was once upon the crofs, for now
he is upon the throne. The Lamb that was flain
as a facrifice to fatisfy divine juftice for us, the
once dying Lamb in the midft of the crofs, is now
the ever-living Lamb in the midft of the throne.

Y2 And

324 ^^^ Lamb m

And from this throne of God, where he reigns,
we exped: our food and provifion upon the feafl-
day ; according to the words of the text, The
Lamb which is in the midfi of the throne^ fiallfeed
thefn.

From the 13 th verfe of this chapter, we have a
defcription of the honour and happinefs of thefe,
that {hall faithfully ferve, and patiently faffer for
the Lord Jefus Chrift. Some interpreters think,
that the happinefs of the faints militant, even in
this world, is here defcribed ; fome, that it is on-
ly the happinefs of the faints triumphant in hea-
ven ; others make this place of fcripture relate to
both, and with thefe efpecially I join, becaufe,
whatever honour and happinefs of fuffering faints
is here fet forth, they enjoy the fame partly in this
life, and fully in the life to come, as may appear
by the particulars here mentioned.

The happy perfons here fpoken of, verfe 14th,
Thefe a7'e they that have come out of great tribulation.
Whatever relation fome think this may have to
the Church of Chrift on earth, after they have
efcaped the antichriftian bloody perfecution 5 or,
as others, to the martyrs in heaven that have fuf-
fered unto death for the Lord Jefus Chrifl ; yet it
may be faid of all the militant faints, who thro*
much trouble enter into the kingdom of heaven,
and therein are conformed to their fuffering head
the Lord Jefus Chrift, and bear about in their bo^
dy the dying of the Lord 'Jefus, Many are the af-
fliBions of the righteous^ but the Lord delive7's them
out of thetn all. It may be faid of all the faints,
Thefe are they that have come from trouble to
reft, from bondage to liberty, from death to life,
and have wafied their robes, and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb, The perfe(5tion of this

purity

the midjl of the Throne, 325

purity they have in heaven, but even here on earth
they are wafhed in the blood of Chrift, and clothed
with the white robe of his imputed and imparted
righteoufnefs.

Verfe 1 5thj this feems to be a further defcription
of the happinefs of the faints both militant and
triumphant ; as they are happy,

ijiy In their ilate, being wafJjed, jujltjied and
fanitified in the name of the Lord Jejus^ and by the
tJjefpirit of their God.

2dl)\ They are happy in their ftatlon, being
always before the throne of God. The glorified
faints in heaven are always in that prefence where
there is fulnefs of joy ; and the fanilified ones up-
on earth have this blefTing alfo beftowed upon
them, they are faid to fit with him in heavenly
places, and it is their daily work to come boldly
to the throne of grace.

Again, 3^/)', They are happy in their fervice,
for they ferve him day and night in his temple. Tho'
thefe that are in heaven ferve him without weak-
nefs or wearinefs, which we cannot here do ; yet
it is the property of all the true circumcifion to wor-
fliip God in the fpirit and in truth, and to pray
without ceafing, meditating on his law day and
night, and going to the altar of God, to God in
"Chrift the true fpiritual temple.

\thly^ They are happy in their company ; for he
that fits on the throne jh all dwell among them. This
points out friendfhip, fellowfliip, and familiarity
between God and the redeemed ; which alfo Chrifl
allows to the militant faints in part, when, upon
opening the door of their heart, he cojjies in and
fups with them^ and they with him^ Rev. iii. 20. and
they are in cafe to fay, T^ruly our fellowfliip is with
the Father i and with his Son Chrifl , i John i. 3».

Y3 yea.

326 *The Lamh In

yea, God fays, 7 will dwell in them^ and walk in
them, and will be their God, and they Jhall be my
people.

^thly, They are happy in their freedom ; they
fhall be freed from all want, and all uneafinefs.
From all want 5 for they Jhall hunger no morey
neither fljall they thirfi any more : for this free-
dom will be perfected in heaven, as it is com-
menced on earth -, as the prophet fays, fpeaking of
Chrift's fpiritual kingdom, Ifa. xlix. 10. T^hey
Jhall not hunger^ nor thirjl, &c. Hence fays Chrift,
Johji vi. 35. He that comes to 7ne Jhall fiever hunger y
and he that believe th in me Jhall never thirjl ; point-
ing out the fpiritual pleafure and fatisfadion they
fliall liave, and never be altogether deprived of.
From all uneafinefs alfo fhall they be freed, Jieither
Jhall the Jun light on them, nor any heat ; or, as it is
in the forecited Ifa. xlix. 10. Neither f jail the heat
norjunfmite them. The redeemed above are per-
fedly freed from all uneafinefs ; and even the re-
deemed on earth, according to the meafure of
faith, fuch will be their meafure of eafe, even
amidft all things that tend to make them uneafy,
Chrift fays to them. Fear not, only believe-. Fear
not, I am with you ; Fear not him that can at mofl
but kill the body ; I'he very hairs of your head are all
numbred', you may be perfed:ly eafy. Nothing is
more uneafy than the fun in the meridian regions ;
fo are aflhcSions and perfecutions to the faints, and
the temptations they are attacked with from earth
and hell ; but God is faithful, fays the apoflle, who
will not fuffer vou to be tempted above what ye are
able, but will with the temptation aljb make a way to
efcape, that you may be able to bear it, i Cor. x. 12. |
hthly. They are happy in their provifion; The
Lamb that is in the midji of the throne fliall feed

them I

the mldjl of the Throne, 327

them i hence he has laid to feed his Jiock like ajhep-
herd. The feeding here fpoken of, imports alfo
rule and government, fuch as a fliepherd hath o-
ver his flock. It is in the beHeving view of the
provident loving fhepherd, the pfahnift fays, T^he
ZiOrd is my Jhepherd^ IJJjallnotwant^ Pfal. xxiii. r.

jthly. They are happy in their direction and
condu6t ; in their diredtor, guide and conductor :
He fiall lead them irnto li'ving fountains of watei\ Now,
of thefe hving v^aters the Lord Jefus fpeaks, as
they refpedt even his people in this world, fohn iv.
14. and vii. 38. T^he water that I give ^ fiall be in
him a well of water fpringing up to everlafting life -,
and, out of his belly JImU fow rivers of living waters.
By thefe they have matter of comfort amidfl all
their crofles.

Hence Zthly^ They are here faid to be happy In
their joys ; Godfiall wipe away all tears from their
eyes, that is, all theii- griefs and forrows fhall be fwal-
lowed up with the fulnefs of joy and confolation,
that fliall be abundantly allowed them. The com-
mencement of this joy is even here, amidft all the
troubles and trials of the militant faints : For be-
hold, fays God, Ifa. Ixv. 18. Icreate]eYu{'a\em.a
rejoicing, and her people a joy, and the voice ofweep^
ing Jhall be no more heard. And hence they are
{omctimes filed with joy and peace in believing, yea,
with joy iinfpeakable andfidl of glory.

It is the firfl: part of this laft verfe that I have
efpecially my eye upon ; particularly, that defcrip-
tion of our Lord Jefus Chrift, which the Com-
mentators I confulted pafs over more flightly than
I exped:ed, namely, llje Lamb which is in the midjl
cf the throne. Where we have our Lord Jefus de-
fcribed, i. From his meeknefs and humility ;
therefore he is called the Lamb, 2 . From his ma-

y^ jefty

328 The Lamh i?t

jefty and authority ; he his the Lamb in the midjl
of the throne. What benefit accrues to his Church,
from his meek and majeftick government, follows
in the reil of the verfe^ which, if I have time, I
may a little infifl upon. But what I efpecially
propofe to fpeak to, as the Lord may affiil, is,
from the fweet account of our Lord Jefus here.

Obferve then, That our Lord Jcfas Chiijl is the
Lamb in the midJl of the throne of God.

And, as the pfalmiil: fays, Pfal. cxxi. i. I will
lift mine eyes unto the hills^ from whence comes my
help ; fo let us lift our eyes to the throne, from
whence comes our food to-day : and we may the
more i"eadily and joyfully do fo, that the Lamb is
in the midft of the tlirone, to be the feeder. That
I may open and apply this dodrine for our benefit,
I propofe the following method -,

I. Speak a little of the Lamb. 2. Of the
throne. 3. How the Lamb comes to be upon the
throne. 4. What is imported in the Lamb's be-
ing in the midjl of the throne. 5. Notice the bene-
fit of fecdi7ig^ that ifiiies from the Lamb's being
in the midfl of the throne. 6. Deduce fome in^
ferences for application.

Firjlj I fhall oiler a word concerning the Lamb,
This is a name frequently given to our Lord Jefus
in fcripture ; and he is fo called, both becaufe of
his immaculate whitenefs and innocency, and
becaufe of his incomparable meeknefs and pa-
tience : He is a Lamb without blemijl:^ and without
fpot^ I Pet. i. 19. and his meeknefs was match-
lefs, of which more afterwards : he is the Lamb
of God^ the worthy Lamb^ the Lamb that wasflain*

I fliail only here mention four periods wherein
he his reprefented as a Lamb,

the midjl of the Throne, 329

1/?, In his dcflgnation from the beginning, yea,
from all eternity, to be a facrifice to fatisfy divine
JLiflice : hence, Rcu. xiii. 8. he is called?/?^ Lamb
(lain from the foundation of the world j ilain decre-
tively, in the purpofe of God, before the founda-
tion of the world was laid ; and flain typically, in
all the facrificcs under the law. 2<^/y, In his ma-
nifeflation, when he appeared in our nature, he is
pointed out as the Lamb that was come to be a
facrifice for fin, fohn i. 29. Behold the Laf?ib of
God that taketh away the fins of the world j and a-
gain, verfe 36. Behold the Lamb of God. To this
purpofe fays the fame beloved difciple, i John iii.
5. Toil know that he was manifejled to take away our
fn, idly. In his humiliation unto death, he is re-
prefented as the meek and patient Lamb, ABs viii.
32. He was led as a Lamb to the faughter ; and as
afieep before his pear er is dumb, fo he opened not his
mouth -J which are the words of the prophet Ifz.
liii. 7. Thus faith the Lord by the fame prophet,
chap. 1. 5, 6. I was not rebellious, Jjeither turned
away back ; I gave my back to the [miters, and my
cheeks to them that plucked off the hair -, I hid not my
face from fioame and [pitting. £^thly. In his exalta-
tion, or in is exalted eftate, he his in fcripture
reprefented as a Lamb ; particularly, Kev. v, 6,
And I beheld, and lo, in the jnidji of the throne^
and in the midfl of the elders, food a Lamb as it had
been flain, &c. This is the place that our prefent
text hath a reference unto : and therefore, concern-
ing it ye may notice the defcription given of this
Lamb ; \fl. As the Lamb that is in the midft of
the throne, of which more afterward- Only,
you fee, in his exalted eftate at the Father's right-
hand, he is ftill the Lamb j change of place hath
not made him change his name, or nature : he
2 took

230 ^^^ Lamh tit

took our human nature along with him, and he is
ilill the meek and lowly Lamb, though he be up-
on the throne. 2dly^ He his defcribed by being a
Lamb llain, a Lainb as it had beenjlain. He ap-
pears with the marks of his fufferings upon him,
to fhow that he interceeds in heaven in the vertue
of his fatisfadion, becaufe he entred the holy place
by his own bloody Heb. ix. 12. And the vertue of
the facriiice he offered is always frefh, as if he
were newly flain. 3^/)', He is defcribed as a Lamb
having fe'uen horns ^ pointing out the perfeftion of
his power to execute all the will of God, and to
conquer all his enemies. This Lamb is the power
of God. 4fM', He is defcribed as a Lamb having
fe'uen eyes, pointing out the perfection of his wif-
dom, to underftand all the will of God, and to
do it in the moft efFed;ual manner. As he is the
power of God, fo he is the wifdom of God^ for
he hath the Jpirit of God abo've ineafure : there-
fore it is faid, The feven eyes are the fe'ven fpirits of
God', not {^.v^n in number, or in nature, but in re-
fpedt of the ' diverfity of the gifts and operations
of that One and eternal fpirit of God : this Lamb
of God then is he, that hath the fpirit of the Lord
God upon him, for he hath anointed him ; and he is
anointed, that he may anoint. And O may the
Lamb with the feven eyes look upon this affembly,
and give eyes to us to fee his glory this day, that
our hearts may join ilTue with the heavenly compa-
ny, Rev. V. 12. Worthy is the Lamb J &c.

Second thing I propofed was a word concerning
the throne. Here I would fl^iortly confider what
fort of a throne it is, and why called a throne.

I/?, What fort of a throne it is which the
Lamb is faid to be in the midfb of ? I may an-?
fwer, it is the throne of God, Rev. xxii, i, 3.

There

the 7nidjl of the Tfjrone, 331

There it is called the throne of God, a?id of the
Lamb : the throne of God is the throne of the
Lamb, and the throne of the Lamb is the throne of
God ; it is the throne of his grace, the throne of
his glory, the throne of his holinefs, and the throne
of his juflice.

1 . It is called tlie throne of divine grace, Heb. iv.
laft. Let us come boldly to the throne of grace. Why?
becaufe we have a High-Prieji there, the Lamb is
in the midfl of the throne. And indeed, the throne
of grace is nothing elfe than a God in Chrifl, a
God reconciled in Chrifl, a God upon a mercy-
feat fprinkled w^ith the blood of Chrift.

2. It is called the throne of divine glory, Jer:
xiv. 21. Do not dfgrace the throne of thy glory ; re-
member break not thy covenant with us. The prophet
there fpeaks of the temple, and the ark in it, the
fymbol of God's prefence j which was typical of
Chrift, in whom the covenant of grace ftands
fafl : and fo it is called the throne of glory, becaufe
all the glory of God fhines about that throne. As
the grace of God is the glory of God, fo all the
glory of God Amines in the face of Jefus Chrift :
Therefore,

3. It is called a throne of divine holinefs, F faint
xlvii. 8. God fitteth upon the throne of his holinefs,
Holinefs becomes his houfe, holinefs becomes his
throne, and holinefs is his throne ; there is no-
thing there, but the holy God;, the holy Lamb,
the holy throne, and they that are about it cry.
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hojis, Ifa. vi. 3.

4. It is called the throne of his Jiifice, Pfalm
Ixxxix. 14. fujiice and judgment are the habitation
of tlyy throne. And Pfalm xcvii. 2. Clouds and
darknefs are round about him, yet righteoufnefs and

judgment are the habitation of his throne^ His glo-
rious

532 The L,amh in

rious and holy throne of grace fliands firm upon
the bafis and foundation of juftice fatisfied for the
iinner, and judgment executed againft fin, in the
blood of the Lamb, that is in the midft of the
throne. It is therefore no hindrance, nor impedi-
ment to our accefs to the throne of grace, that
it is alfo a throne of juftice j but rather a further-
ance and encouragement, becaufe there grace reigm
through righteoiijhefs iinto eternal life by Jeftis Ch'ifi^
Rom. V. and lafl. And, fince grace reigns there
through juflice-fatisfying righteoufnefs, why then,
there God may with honour meet with finners,
and there linners may with hope draw near to God,
This is the throne of God and of the Lamb.

idh\ Why is it called a throne ? The place, in
the midfl whereof the Lamb is, is called a throne,
on thefe accounts j i/?, A throne is a place of
powerful and majeftick glory, honour and digni-
ty. Jefus Chriil, the Lamb, is fet in the midfl: of
this place, crowned with Glory and honour. Heb.
ii. 9. His Father hath crowned him King there,
faying, 'T'hy throne^ O God, is for ever aiid ever.
2. A throne is a place of power and authority.
Chrift the Lamb is fet in the midfl of this throne ;
for. All power in heaven and earth is given to himy
Matt, xxviii. 18. All judgment is com?nitted to him,
and the governjnent is upon his jl:oidders, '^dly, A
throne is a place of height and eminency. Chrift
the Lamb is in the midfl of this place, IJa. vi. 7.
I faw the hord fitting up07i a throne high and lifted
tip, and his train filed the temple. His Father hath
fet him on the higefl throne ; he hath highly ex-
alted him, and given him a name above every name,
A^thly, A throne is a place of plenty ; thence the
royal bounty is communicated. Chrifl the Lamb
is in the midfl of the place 5 hence it is faid. Col. ^

1. 19.

the niidjl of the Throne, 3^3

1. 19. It pJeafed the Father that in him JJmdd all
fidm-fs divell ; and again, In him are hid all the
treajures of wifdom and knowledge^ all the treafures
of grace j and out of his fulnefs we all receive^ and
grace for grace, John i. 1 6. S^%y -^ throne is a
place of beauty as well as bounty ; it is a beauti-
ful and fplendid place. And to fee the Lamb in the
in id ft of the throne, is to fee the Ki?2g in his beauty ^
Ifa. xxxiii. 17. Strength is within his holy place, and
there doth beauty fine, there doth glory fhine. In a
word, a throne is a place of pleafure, peace, joy, and
triumph. The Lamb is in the mid ft of this place :
having afcefidcd up on high, and led captivity captive^
Pfalm Ixviii. 18. he fits triumphant upon the
throne, making all his e?iemies his footfool. If he
triumphed over them en the crofs, as it is faid. Col.
ii. \^, how much more does he triumph over
them on the throne, making all believers fharers
of his joyful triumph !

The third thing I propofed was, To ftiow how
the Lamb comes to be upon the throne. I fhall
tell you in a few words, that he bargained for the
throne, he wrought for the throne, he fought for
the throne, he died for the throne.

\ft. He bargained for the throne. In the coun-
cil of peace betwixt the Father and the Son, it
was promifed to Chrift, That, upon his doing
and fuffering for his people, he ftiould have a glo-
rious throne, and a numerous retinue : that he
iliould fee his feed, and fee the travel of his foul,
end be fatisfied, Ifa. liii. 10, 11. The Lamb cries
out, It is a bargain, that I cheerfully go in to : Lo,
I come J ill the volume oj thy book it is written of
me : I delight to do thy will, O my God -, thy law is
within my heart. Hence fays the Father, I have
f)iade a covenant with my chofen, Pfalm Ixxxix. 3 .

2dly,

^34 ^^ Lamh In

idly^ He wrought for the throne. According to
the bargain and covenant between the Father and
him, he brought i?i e^erlajling right eoufnefs^ Dan. ix.
24. Ht fulfilled all righteoufnefs^ Matt. iii. 15,
And hence he claims the crown and the throne,
yobi xvii. 4, 5. I have glorified thee on earth, I have
jfinified the work thou gavefi me to do : And now, O
Father, glorify thou me with thine own felf with the
Glory I had with thee before the world was. Thus
he wrought for the throne.

'T^dly, He fought for the throne. Ye may fee
how he fought. If a. Ixiii. i. JVho is this that comes
from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah ?
This that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the
greatnefs of his firejigth ? 1 that /peak in righteouf-
nefs, mighty to fave. Wherefore art thou red in
thine apparel? &c. verfe 2, 3. And on this ac-
count, the Lamb fits upon a triumphant throne,
having fpoiled principaUties and powers, bruifed
the head of the old ferpent, deliroyed the works
of the devil, and come oif the field like a victo-
rious conqueror. Therefore the Lord faid unto our
Lord, ft thou at my right-hand, Pfalm ex. where
you read both of the bloody battle, and the glori-
ous enthronement of the Lamb.

^thly. He died for the throne. Having drimk of
the brook in the way, therefore did he lift up the head.
And, becaufe he became obedient imto the death, even
the death of the crofs 3 therefore God hath highly ex^
alted him, and given him a name above every name,
Phil. ii. 8, 9. When he had the crofs upon his
back, he had the throne in his eye, Heb. xii. 2.
Tor the joy that was Jet before him, he endured the
crofs, defpifng the Jhame, and is now fet down at the
right-hand of the throne of God. And thus, for the
fuffei'ing of death he was crow?ied with glory and ho"

nour^

the mtdfi of the T^hrom, 335

miir^ Heb ii. 9. Our faith then may fee and be
fatisfied how he came by the throne : but, for
v/idening faith's view of this enthronement, I
proceed

To the fourth thing propofed, namely, to fhow
what may be imported in the Lamb's being in the
midfl of the throne. And, ,

I/?, That the Lamb is in the midfl of the
throne, fpeaks forth the dignity of his perfon, his
fupreme Deity, and equality with the Father,
Though in his infinite love he thought it no dif-
paragement, at his Father's call, to make himfelf
of no reputation^ and take upon him the form of a
fervant ; yet, being in the form of God, he thought
it no robbery to be equal with God, Philip, ii. 6.
And his Father thinks it no difparagement to him,
to call even the fuifering Lamb, the crucified Je-
fus, his fellow and equal ; Awake, O fword, againji
the man that is my fellow, Zach. xiii. 7. yea, to
crown him King upon his everlafling throne, fay-
ing to him. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever,
Heb. i. 8. O but, if the Chrift-difparaging and
foul-damning dodlrine of Arians was true, the
Lamb would not be worthy of fuch a throne, far
lefs the midft of the throne.

2dly, That the Lamb is in the midft of the
throne, imports and fpeaks forth the height of his
exaltation. Befide the natural right, as God, that
Chrift hath to the throne, he hath a donative right
as Mediator j and becaufe, as Mediator, he hath
brought in glory to God in the higheft, therefore
he is exalted to the higheft throne, that his Father
can give him. I will make him my firjl-born, higher
than the kings of the earth, Pfalm Ixxxix. 27. And
now, according to his promife, Let all the houfe of
Ifrael know ajfuredly, that God hath made that fame

336 *The Lmnh in

yefiis that was crucified^ both Lord and Chrijl^ A(5ls
ii. 36. And being now polTelTed of the throne,
he hath on bis vefiure and on kis thigh a name 'ze^r//-
i^^;?, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD
O F L O R D S ; and the rather that it is a fcarlet
robe, a "jejitire dipped in bloody Rev. xix. 13, 16.
to (how that it is the worthy Lamb, that was Ilain,
that is in the midfl of the throne.

3^/)', That the Lamb is in the midfl; of the
throne, imports, I think, the perfedion of his
mediation, and exad:nefs thereof. O but this part of
the throne mufl be fit for him, and he fit for it ! It
well becomes him to be there ; he is the middle per-
fon between the Father and the Holy Ghoft, and the
middle perfon between God and man ; and it well
becomes him to have the middle part of the throne.
The Mediator and Mids-man having the midfi: of
the throne, it fays, he is a perfe6l Mediator, a
merciful and faithful Uigh-Frieji^ Heb. ii. 17. faith-
ful to God, and merciful to man, true to both
parties, between whom he flands in the midft of
the throne.

A^thly^ That the Lamb is in the midft of the
throne, imports the beautiful order and equity of
his adminiftration. As the government is upon his
fhoulders, fo it will be a iufi:, righteous and equal
government. Behold^ a King fall reign in righte^
cufnefs ', even the man that fiall be a hiding-place
from the wind, and a covej't from the tcmpejiy Ifa.
xxxii. I, 2. With right eotfncfs fall he judge the
poor, and reprove with equity, for the ?neck of the
earth. Righteoufnefs fall be the girdle of his loins,
and faithfulnefs the girdle of his reiiis, Ifa. xi. 4, 5.
His admin iftration fhall be fo righteous and equal,
that none {hall have occafion to complain, that he
hath gone too far, either to the right-hand or to

the

the midjl of the iTjrone, 337

the left-hand of the throne : no, he will for ever
keep the midft of the throne, and his government,
like his covenant, will be well ordered in all
things.

c^thh^ That the Lamb is in the midll of the
throne, imports the accefliblenefs of the throne of
God on every hand. The Lamb is upon the
throne of Cod, and therefore there is acccfs to the
throne ; for the Lamb being there clothed with
his vefture dipped in blood, we may come boldy
to the throne of grace, and have boldnefs to enter
into the holieft by the blood of ycjhs^ Heb. iv. laft*
and X. 19. If the Lamb were not there, fuch
guilty finners durft not be fo bold as to look a juft
and holy God in the face, or approach to hist
throne ; but O good news ! The Lamb being
our fore-runner, we may boldly go as far in as
the blood of the Lamb hath run in like a river
before us, and that is to the very heart and cen-
tre of the throne of God. Yea, not only is the
Lamb upon the throne, which fpeaks accefs
thither j but he is in the midft of the throne,
which fpeaks accefs on every hand, and on every
fide of the throne. If he were only placed at the
one lide of the throne, it might be thought there
Would be no accefs at the other fide 5 but, being
in the midfl of the throne, he is ready to wel-
come all comers from every corner, fayi72gj whcfo^
ever willj let hiin cotne, from eaft, weft, north or
fouth, let him come on this fide, or that fide, or
diredlly before the throne ; yea, let any poor be-
liever, who thinks fhame to be feen, come creep-
ing, as it were, behind the throne, like the woman
v/ith the bloody ififue, that came behind him, fay-
ing. If I may but touch his garment, I fhall be
ivhole ; O to get in if it were behind the throne

Z this

338 'TJ^e La77ih in

this day, to get a touch of the ro^/al robes of the
Lamb, which is in the midft of the throne I WeU
come linner, there is accefs on everv hand of the
throne, for the Lamb is in the midll of it. The
Lamb of God, which Hes in the midfl of his Fa-
ther's bofom, fits in the midft of his Father's
throne, to welcome and receive all comers, faying.
Him that comcthj I will in no ways cajl out.

bthly^ That the Lamb is in the midft of the
throne, imports. That the Lamb is the ceittre of
all the glory, that furrounds and encompalTes the
throne of God, or the throne of grace. He is
the centre of divine fidnejs^ and of all the glorious
perfections of God j for in him dwells all the fidnefs
of the Godhead bodily. Col. ii. 9. Every attribute of
God fliines gloriouily in the face of Jefus Chrifl.
He is the centre of all divine truths -, and we can-
not know any precious gofpel truths or myfleries
In a faving and fatisfying manner, unlefs we know
the truth, as it is in Jefus, Eph. iv. 21. He is
the centre of all the divine promifes, being the
centre of the covenant of grace, in whom it ftands
fail:, and in whom all the promijes a7'e yea and ajjien^
to the glory of God, 2 Cor. i. 20. He is the centre
of all divine blejjings j for God blelTes us with aU
fpiritiial blejfings in heai^enly places, only i?! Chriji,
Eph. i. 3. He is the centre of all divine grace-,
for it is out of his fidnefs that we receive, and grace
for grace, John i. 1 6. He is the centre of all di-
vine comfort, for he is the coifolation of Ifrael, and
is anointed with the oil of joy and gladnefs aboi'e
his fellows, Pfalm xlv. 7. that he may anoint with
the fame oil, and bring his people to fellow/hip
ivith him in the fame fpirit of joy and confolation,
according to their meafure. He is the centre of
all faving ofices ; being, as a Prophet^ the wifdom of

God

the midjl of the Throne, 339

God for our illumination ; as a Friejl^ the righte-
cujhefs of God for our juftification ; and, as a King,
the power of God for our fandification. He is
the centre of all fwect i-elations j the Saviour, the
furety, the head, the hiijband, the all and in all of his
people, their light, and life, and fircngth, and righ-
teotifnefs, and roc^, and refuge, and portion. He
is the centre, where God and man may meet toge-
t]ier J for he dwells between the chcrubims, on
the mercy-feat, and over thefe : Inhere 'will I meet
with thee, Exod. xxv. 22. T^here will I conwiune
with thee. And no communion with God can we
have, but in him, who is the Lamb in the midft
of the throne, and the mids-man between God and
us. In a word, being in the centre of the throne,
he is the centre of all things : he is the centre of
all the fins of the redeemed for their expiation ;
for the Lord hath laid on him, or made to meet in
him, the iniqidty of us all, Ifa. liii. 6. And the
centre of ail their fervice for their acceptation, for
we are accepted in the beloved, Eph. i. 6. And
thus he is fomeway the centre of all things ; for,
as all things are in his hands, fo all things in hea-
ven and earth are faid to meet in him, Eph. i. 10.
Colof. i. 20. And therefore the Lamb, that is in
the midft and centre of the throne, ought to be
the centre of our hearts and affedlions, the cen-
tre of our love and delight. Thus, among other
things, he is the centre of all our provifion. Which
leads to

The fitfh thing propofed, which was, to notice
the benefit oi feeding, that iffues from the Lamb's
being in the midft of the throne ; he fhall feed
them. Whatever other paftoral care, rule or go-
vernment, this word imports j yet I ftiall, becaufe
this is a feaft-day, notice that part of his paftoral

% 2 care

340 5^^ Lajnh in

care, that is here expreft by the word feed : the
Lamb that is in the throne ihall feed them. If
I were to enlarge upon this fubjed;, I might tell
you, how the Lamb feeds his church and people,
with the manfefations of his glory, with the zVz-
timations of his love, with the comtnunicatiom of
his grace, and with the confolations of his Spirit :
but I confine myfelf to the dodrine of the Lamb
being in the midfb of the throne, and therefore I
fliall fpeal^ to this feeding only as it relates to that
do(5trine. The Lamb that is in the midft of the
throne is the food , the Lamb that is in the midft
of the throne is the feeder ; and the Lamb's be-
ing in the midfl of the throne makes the feeding
of thofe that are the followers of the Lamb, to
have the following qualities. All our facramental
food and provifion> this day, mufl come from the
throne of God, and of the Lamb. Therefore,

I/?, It muft be kindly food and proviiion, that
comes from that throne, fmce the Lamb is in the
midfl: of it. The meek Lamb,, the loving Lamb,
that feeds his feck like a JJjepherd^ gathers the lambs
with his (ir?ns, carries them in his bofojn^ and gently
leads thofe that are ivith yoiwg, Ifa. xL it. He makes
them to lie down in green pajiures, Pfalm xxiii. 2.
He makes them to go out and in, and find pa-
fture : it is fweet, and eafy, and kindly feeding,
that ifiues from the Lamb in the midft of the
throne. And yet,

2t//y, It mufl be powerful feeding that comes:
from thence, it is from the throne of power : and
indeed you will not feed to advantage this day,
unlefs power come from the throne to make you
take your food. It is the work of the Lamb in the
midft of the throne, to feed by the efficacy of his
grace : All the means and minifters in the world

cannot

the midjl of the 'Throne. 341

cannot make a foul open its mouth, or heart, for
this food, till power come from the throne ; and
yet, when it comes, it comes fo fweetly and kind-
ly, that there is nothing like force or violence.
The man is made as frank and free, in the going
out after Chrift, to be the food of his perifhing
foul, as if there were no power at all put forth in
the cafe. Power makes him eat and feed heartily j
^hy people JJhiU he if tiling in the day of thy power ^
Pfalm ex. 3.

3 <//)', It mull: be fpiritiial feeding, that comes
from the Lamb in the midfl of the throne ; for
his throne, his kingdom is a fpiritual kingdom, it
is not of this world j the jlcfo profits nothing, his
words are fpirit and life. Food for the foul muft
be fpiritual food : The Kingdom of God is not meat
mid dj'ijjk, but right coiifnej's, and peace, and joy in
the Holy Ghoji, Rom. xiv. 17.

A^thly, It mufh be plentifid provifion and feeding
that comes from the Lamb in the midfl of the
throne j for it is a rich throne, and all fulnefs is
there. There is plenty of wifdom, righteoufnefs,
fan6tiiication, and redemption ; abundance of all
forts. Here is Wifdom enough for the mofl igno-
rant, righteoufnefs enough for the moft guilty,
fanBification enough for the mofl filthy, redemp-
tion enough for the mofl ruined, comfort enough
for the mofl forrowful, ftrength enough for the
weakefl, Ffalm xxxvi. 8. T^hey fiall be abundantly
fatisfied with the fat?iefs of thy houfe, O the plen-
ty that is about the throne ' Plenty of divine per-
fections to feed upon, when viewed in Chrifl- In-
deed, the mildefl attributes of God out of Chrifl
will be a terrible fight, but the mofl terrible at-
tributes of God in Chrifl are a pleafant feafl, even
juficc, hoUmfs and truth. Here is plenty of pro-

Z 3 uiik^

342 The Lamb in

mifes to feed upon, while the performance Is de-
layed. Every thing in Chrifl is a feaft j his names,
and natures, offices, life, death, refurredtion, af-
cenfion, interceffion ; his merit, his fpirit, his
word, his flefli, his blood, and his vidbory.

yM)\ It muft be fuitable food that comes from
this throne j for the Lamb, being in the midfl of
it, will diftribute equally and fuitably. He cannot
poffibly fail and mifcarry, by giving too much, or
too little : being in the middle of the throne, and
the middle perfon between God and man, to com-
municate what is fuitable for God to give, and fuit-
able for man to have, no more and no lefs does
he communicate, becaufe he is the Lamb in the
midfl: of the throne. And indeed, as a key is
fuited to a lock, fo is Chrift's fulnefs to our wants.
We are difeafed, he is a phyfician -, we are lofi^ he
is a Saviour ; we are debtors^ he is a furety ; we
are dead^ he is life j we are bliiid^ he is eye-fahe ;
we are naked^ he is clothing ; we are troubled^ he is
7-eJi ', are we bewildred? he is a guide : are we in
daj2ger ? he is a guard : are we benighted ? he is a
Jun : are we afjaidtedf he is 2. file Id, Who in
heaven or earth can thus fupply our wants, heal
our wounds, bear our burdens, fweeten our afflid:-
ions, fubdue our enemies, as Chriil ? O fuitable
feeding to the foul is here in all cafes !

6/,6/y, It muft be joyful feeding and proviiion
that comes from the Lamb in the midft of the
throne ; for the throne is a place of joy and tri-
umph. Here mufl: be the choiceft cheer, amidfl; the
choiceft company ; God, and Chrift, and angels,
and faints. There is as much fweetnefs in Chrift, as
there is fulnefs and fuitablenefs : he is the fountain of
fweetnefs -, his mouth is moft fweet, his prefence is
moft fweet, his fruits are moft fweet 3 I fat dcivn un^

der

the midjl of tfje Thro?2e. 34.3

der his fiadow with great delight (lays the church)
and his fruits were fweet to my tajie. Here are the
Iweet rivers of living waters, that drive away all
death and forrow, as it here follows in the text.

ythl)\ It muft htfree provifion and feeding, that
comes from the Lamb in the mid ft of the throne.
There is nothing to pay about a throne, as this would
be a difgrace and diparagement to the prince, that
poffeil'es the throne, fo here, all is to be had free-
ly. The fmelT; feaft is always the ft eeft, Jfa. Iv. i .
The Legaliils, that cannot feed upon Chrift and
his righteoufnefs freely, but only upon their own
works and duties, they feed upon ajhes : the legal
preacher, that cannot offer Chrift freely, is like
the unnatural fithers, that, when their children
afk hrad, give them afo/ie ; when they aik ^fjh,
give them a fcorpio?i. What is our bell perform-
ances but fcorpions, ferpents, ftones, yea, poifon
to them that make them their foul-food ? Nothing
can feed the foul but Chrift. Kahfiakeh threatned,
2 Kings xviii. 26. to uiake all the people on the wall
to eat their own dung : the legal preacher accom-
plilhes this threatning, in a fpiritual fenfe 5 our beft
works are but dung ; / will fpread the dung of
your facrifices on your faces, even the dung of your
folemn feafls. But O here the fineft and fweetcft
feaft is the freeft ; from the throne of grace pro-
ceed all bleffings freely.

%thly. It muft be durable provifion and feeding
that comes from the Lamb in the midft of the
thi'one ; for he ever lives upon the throne, and his
throne is for ever and ever j and therefore everlaft-
ing food comes from thence, and food that nour-
illies to everlafting life. I a7n the living bread^ that
came down from heaven, fays Chrift j if any man
eat of this bread, he fiall live for ever, John vi. 51.

Z 4 Here

344- ^^^ Lainh In

Here is provifion for eternity j Labour not for the
vicat that perij}:eih^ fays Chrift, but for that meat
that endures to c-ocrlafting life^ 'which the fon of man
fJ:all gi've unto you, John vi. 27. What a fool was
he, that filled his barns, and then faid. Soul, take
thy ref, thou hafl goods laid up for jnajiy years!
while God faid to him, Thou fool, this night thy
fcidfall be required of thee, But O what vvifdom
were it to lay up for eternity' this day, that death
may not be able to rob you of your flore, but
• that ye may have it all before your hand ! The
Lamb, that is in the midfl of the throne, lives for-
ever there to feed, he lives for ever to make inter-
cefiion, he lives for ever to make provifion : they
have evtrlafting food, who have the Lamb, that is
in the midft of the throne, to feed them. Thus
you fee what fort of feeding is to be had under
tlie throne of tlie Lamb, and who it is that muft
cover our tabic: this day, even the Lamb in the
midft of the throne ; he hath mounted the throne,
to be a feeder^ and to let down bleffings to hi^
foo^ftool.

Sixth thing propofed was the APPLICA-
TION. Is it fo, that our Lord Jefiis is the
Lamb in the midft of the throne ? Hence we may
infer thefe following particulars ;

if. Surely we need not be afhamed of a cruci-
fied Chnft, nor of our chriftian paflbver this day, the
Lamb that was facrificed for us, Since now the
Lamb is upon the throne, and in the midft of the
throne, the fhame and reproach of the crofs is
wiped away, with the glory and fplendor of the
throne, We need not be afhamed of the crofs of
Chrift, who is now in the midft of the throne.
Let none defpife thofe, that efpoufe the caufe and
intereft of the Lamb, whatever hardfhips they

may

the midjl of the Throne, 345

may be brought under before courts, councils and
judicatories on earth : they need not be afhamed'
to go forth unto him without the camp, bearing
his reproach: God forbid I fioidd glory (fays Paul)
fave in the crofe of our Lord fefics Chriji. O ! it is
our greateft glory to be bearing his crofs, who is
now wearing the crown j to be followers of the
Lamb that is in the midft of the throne.

2dly\ Hence we may learn, that the church of
God is fafe, fince the Lamb, who is their head, is
in the midil of the throne. Believers in Chrifl are
happy and fafe ; their head and hufband, their
Lord and King, is upon the throne : the militant
church, the fighting remnant, are in no great dan-
ger, while he hath the governtiient. May be there
are fome here, like £//, whofe hearts are trembling
for the ark of God and the work of God at this
day, when fo many axes and hamrners are lifted up
againji the carved work of the do6lrine, worfhip,
difcipline and government of God's houfe : but let
this be matter of joy to their hearts, that the
Lamb is in the midii of the throne ; and therefore,
as he rides in Jacob to the ends of the earthy and o-
ver-rules all damage done to his houfe, fo he will
make it appear in the ifTue, that, according to
his word. Upon all the glory there fJjall be a
(defimce,

. '^dly. Hence we may learn, that the enemies of
Chrift may have a quaking heart, lince the Lamb,
whom they difpifc, is in the midil of the throne.
His Father, that fet him on the throne, hath faid,
Ffal. Ixxxix. 23, / will beat down his foes before
his face ^ and plague them that hate him. T'he heathen
rage, and the people imagine a vain thing j the kings
of the earth fet themfehes^ and the riders take counfel
flgainfi the Lord and his anointed-^ faying^ let us break

their

34^ ^^^ LcLjnh 171

their hands, afid caft their cords from us. But he
that fits in heaven Jhall laugh, the Lord Jhall have
them in derifion : having fet his Ki??g upon his holy
hill of Zion, he will break them in pieces with a rod
of iron, &c. Pfal. ii. i, 2, &c. T^he Lord reigns, let
the people tremble, Pfal. xciv. 11. He dwells between
the cherubims, let the earth be moved. The Lamb
being in the midft of the throne, is matter of ter-
ror to the enemies of his glory ; for he fits upon
the throne of power, and the Lamb will be a lion
to tear them to pieces.

/[thly. Hence we may learn, that there is a fure
foundation laid for the faith and hope of life and
juftihcation by the blood of the lamb. Since the
Lamb is in the midft of the throne, the throne of
grace is t%e door of hope ; and, that our hearts
may be iSifed and lifted up to a lively hope, the
Lamb, that was flain, is raifed and lifted up to the
throne. Did he rife again for our juftification,
and does his refurredlion feal upon our confciences
the fufficiency of his death, and the acceptablenefs
of his righteoufnefs unto God ? Much more may
our faith and hope be confirmed herein, that he is
exalted to the midft of the throne ; for his Father
had never put fo much honour upon him, had he
not been infinitely well pleafed and fatisfied with
his obedience unto the death. We may now read
the dream that Jacob had at Bethel, Gen. xxviii. 12.
Beheld, a ladder fet upon the earth, and the top of it
reached to heaven : the ladder is the Lamb -, the
foot of the ladder was fixed in the midft of the
earth when he was here in a humbled eftate, and
now the top of the ladder is fixed in the midft of
the throne ; all the rounds of it are compleated,
that we may afcend by this way from earth to
heaven.

5%,

the midjl of the Throne. 347

^thl)\ Hence we may learn, what good reafon
there is for having a high efteem of Chrift, fince
God hath fo highly exalted him, to the very
midfl of the throne. O fhould not Chrifh be high
in our valuation, when God hath fet him fo high !
No wonder then that it is faid. If any man love noty
nor efteem our Lord Jefus Chrijl, let him be Ana^
thema Maranatha. Woe will be to them that will
not put honour upon him, whom God the Father
put lb much honour upon, and that as our redeem-
er and kinfman.

bthl)\ Hence learn, that the throne of God
needs not be terrible unto us, fince the Lamb, the
meek Lamb, is in the midfl of the throne ; finners
need not fear to go to the throne of God, as long as the
Lamb is there. If unbelief look toward the throne,
it views it only as it is the throne of God, and
fo fills the foul with llavifh fear, and frightful ap-
prehenfions : but true faith views it as the throne
of God and of the Lamb j and the view of the
Lamb in the midfi: of the throne, raifes fome joy,
hope and pleafure in the midfl of the heart. Why,
there is meeknefs as well as majefly, grace as well
as grandeur about the throne, becaufe the Lamb
is there.

^thh\ Hence we may learn what ground there
is to exped: the great God to be prefent in the
midfl of us this day, becaufe the Lamb is in the
midfl of the throne. We would have no ground
to expect, that God would.be with us on the foot-
ilool, if Chrifl were not with God upon the
throne. Chrifl promifed, upon his afcending to
the throne, that he would be with his people,
faying, Lo, I am ivith you always : he promifed,
when he went up to the throne, he would fend
down his fpirit, John xvi, 8. If I go away, I will

fend

34^ 72^ Lcimh in

jhid him ; therefore, if he be, by his fpirit, In the
midft of us this day, it is becaufe he is in the
midft of the throne. It is eafy for him to be both
fitting glorioufly in the midft of the throne, and
at the fame time walking gracioufly in the midft
of the golden candlefticks, Rev. ii. i. He is
both the bleft AoV©*, the word of God ; and the
bleft Immanuel^ God with us. The feven fpirits
are faid to be before the throne. The fpirit of
God is one, but his gifts, operations and influen-
ces are various : and the Lamb, that is in the
midft of the throne, hath the fpirit to give j and,
having faid that he will fend him, O let us look
to the throne, and thence exped: the fpirit accor-
ding to his word.

^thly\ Hence we may learn, what is the mark of
a worthy communicant, namely, if he be a true
believer of this dodrine, that the Lamb is in the
midft of the throne. Let a 7nan examine himjelf
upon this, and fo let him eat. I afk not if you fay
you believe, or think you believe -, but I bid you
try if you truely believe, that the Lamb is in the
midft of the throne. For helping you to this
fearch, you may confider two things, namely,
what view you have of this truth, and what vertue
you find in it.

(i.) What view have you of this truth ? If you
truly believe it, then you view it with appro-
bation. Is your heart .fatisfied, that the Lamb is in
the midft of the throne ? Do you cordially ap-
prove of the Father's fetting him fo high ? Did it
ever fill your heart with joy and fatisfadlion, and
with fome fecret pleafure and exultation, that God
hath put fuch honour upon Jefus ? And have you
thus received this truth in the love of it, and in
the fweetnefs of it ? O did ever your heart leap as

the jitidjl of the Throne, 349

it were, within you, to think that the throne o^
God is ah^o the throne of the Lamb, and fo a
throne open to you to come boldly unto by the
blood of the Lamb, that encircles the throne like
a rainbow ? How does your heart ftand affedled to
this truth ? With the heart man believes unto righ^
teoiifnefs.

(2.) What vertiie have you found in this truth
for leading you to enthrone Chrift, as the Father
hath done ? As the Father hath fet the Lamb in
the midft of the throne of glory ; fo, have you
fet him in the midil: of the throne of your heart ?
Is he, that is in the midft of the throne of God,
in the midft of the throne with you ? Surely, to
them that believe he is precious^ or an hono?if\ as the
word may be read : and they put this honour up-
on him, even to fet him in the midft of the throne.
O my dear friends, let me tell you, that by this
you may try and examine yourfelves, and prove your
own felves, whether Chrift be in you : if he be in
you at all, he will be in the midft of the throne.
You are not fit for a communion-table, and, at
your peril be it, if you go, and yet fome other
things than Chrift have the throne of your heart:
if felf be in the midft of the throne, if the world
be in the midft of the throne, if your lufts be in
the midft of the throne, Chrift is not in you.
It is true, the heart of the believer, while here,
is not quite free of fin, and felf, and the world :
they may fight for the throne, and many times
they may feem to gain the throne of their heart ;
but, fure I am, they never got peaceable poiTeftion
of the throne of their heart. "Flie believer is free
from p£ace with fin, tho' he is fiever free from
war with fin in this world : his league with it is
broken, he can never confent to its rule and go-
vernment

350 *-^he Lamb in

vernment any more ; and hence, whenever fin
ufurps the throne, hke Adonijah^ then the believer
enters his proteft againft it before the King of
kings, faying, hord^ haft thou not faid^ that Solo-
mon y7W/ reign f Haft thou not promifed, that
grace fhall reign, and that fin fi:all not have the do-
minion ^ O down, down wuth this ufurper ; and let
Chrift have his own proper room and place, which
is the midft of the throne. Hath vertue come
from the throne of the Lamb to enable you to
enthrone Chrift in the midft of your heart ? Hath
he the throne of your efteem, the throne of your
delight, the throne of your affedlion ? Felt you
ever any vertue coming down from the throne of
Chrift, to dethrone fin, and to draw your heart
up to the throne of God ? Did you ever find fo
much grace defcending from the throne, as to
make your hearts afcend to the throne r And, is
it the view of the Lamb's being there, that fires
your heart, and makes it flame upwards to the
very midft of the throne where he is ?

Again, laftly^ Hence we may learn the duty of
finners, that hear this dodtrine of the Lamb's be-
ing in the midft of the throne. I think it is your
duty, yea, I am fure it is your duty, to come and
fee the Lamb in the midft of the throne, to come
and match with the Lamb, and then to come to
the marriage-Jiipper of the Lamb.

I/?, It is your duty, to come 2.\\^fee this great
fight, the Lamb that is in the midft of the throne.
If the queftion be. Where is the Lamb ? the an-
fwer is, in the midft of the throne. But, if the
queftion again be. Where is the throne, that we
may fee it, and the Lamb • in the midft of it ? I
anfwer, God's throne of glory is properly in hea-
ven^ but his throne of grace is really on earth, as

well

the jntdjl of the Throne] 351

well as in heaven ; it is ereded in the church, and
in this gofpel-dlfpenfation, declaring that God is
in Cbriji reconciling the world to himfe^^, A God in
Chrift is a throne of grace every where, and a
glorious throne every where is the place of our fan^
£luar%\ Jer. xvii. 12. Hence, when the apollle
fays, ' Let lis cofne boldly to the throne 5 he does not
mean locally climbing up to heaven, but belie-
vingly approaching to God in Chrift, as held forth
in the gofpel of his grace. Why then, as Chrift
is in the midft of the throne, fo the throne is in
the midft of this houfe.

^lejlion^ What ftiall we fee, if we come and fee
the Lamb in the midft of the throne ? Anjwer^
You will fee, that the throne of God is open to fm-
ncrs, becaufe the Lamb is there ; and that there is
accefs with boldnefs from all quarters, at every fide
of the throne, becaufe the Lamb is in the midft
of it. The blood of the Lamb encircles the
throne, and fprinkles the mercy-feat; and there-
fore guilty finners may come, through this guilt-
expiating blood. Here you will fee the moft
dreadful attributes of God divefted of all their
dread and terror, and appearing amiable. Infinite
holinefs and infinite juitice are awful attributes,
and both are upon the throne of God, but the
Lamb is in the midft of them : holinefs is eratified,
juftice is fatisfied, every attribute is glorified;
Metxy and truth meet together^ righteoufnefs a?id peace
kifs each other , and all harmonioufly confpire, be-
caufe the Lamb is in the midft of them. The
mildeft attributes would be dreadful to finners, if
the Lamb were not in the midft of them ; but the
moft terrible attributes are amiable and lovely,
when you fee the Lamb in the midft of them. '

Here

n^2 The Lamb in

Here you will fee the moft terrible dilpenfations
of God ftniling in your face, when you fee tlie
Lamb in the midfl; of them 5 for, thougli Lloiids
and darknefs are round about him, yet 7'-ighteoujnefs
and judgmejit are the habitation of his throne. He
that rides in heaven by his name J AH, 2Lnd makes
the clouds his chariots, as he fits in the midfh of his
throne, fo he fits in the midfl of the cloudy and
dark difpenfations of our day, to order and over-
rule. Black clouds are over the church of Scotland,
iand the government, as it is in the hands of men,
is all in diforder and confulion, and turning uplide
dov/n ', but, if you fee the Lamb in the midfl: of
thefe difpenfations, you will fee that the govern.-
ment is upon his flioulders, and that not only juflice
and judgment are the habitation of his throne, but
that juftice and judgment fit with mercy and grace,
and that God hath fome glorious defign on foot,
however terrible to his enemies, yet merciful to all
the followers of the Lamb. In a word, here you
will fee all the glory of God, v/hen you fee tlie
Lamb in the midfl of the throne. O the throne of
glory is a throne of grace, becaufe the Lamb is
there -, the throne of juflice is a throne of mercy,,
becaufe the Lamb is 'there -, the throne of infinite
holincfs is acceflible by guilty finners, becaufe the
Lamb is there. O come and fee.

2d/y, It is your duty to come and match with
the Lamb. O finner, that hail been married to
the devil hitherto, married to your lulls, married
to the world ; O man, woman, young men and
maidens, will ye come and be the bride, the Lamb's
wife ? as the word is, Rev. xix. y. Let none dare
to go to the marriage fupper of the Lam.b, to the
communion table, until once they have given their
heart and hand to the Son of God, and joined in

marriage

the midjl of the Throne, 353

marriage with the Lamb 3 and may this be a mar-
riage-day. It is a great part of our work to court
a bride for the Lamb, and then to lead her to the
table 3 and O may drawing power come from the
throne, to draw out many hearts after him ! O
linner, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, is
come to court your heart, faying. My fori, give mc
thy heart 3 and he is come to offer himfelf to thee
man, to thee woman, faying. Behold me^ behold
jne-y come to me that you may have life. What
fort of a match would you have ? Would you be
well married, and happy in a huihand to all eter-
nity ?

i/?, Are you for an honourable match, a royal
match ? O here is the King of Kings, the Lamb
in the midft of the throne, the Head of all princi-
palities a?id powers !

idly. Are you for a rich and oppulent match ?
Here is the Lamb in the midll of the throne, in
whom are hid iinfearchable riches, and all the fuU
nefs of the Godhead, everlafling treafures of grace
and glory.

3^/v', Are you for a bountifid match? O' there is
none like the Lamb in the midft of the throne for
a generous fpirit, willing and ready to lay out all
his riches, that out of his fulnefs ye may receive,
and grace for grace.

^thly. Are you for a beautiful match ? Behold
the Lamb in the midft of the throne, the King in

J is beauty 'y he is ivhite and ruddy, and altogether
'ively : no wonder, for he is tlie brightnefs of the
Father's glory 5 all the glory of God fhines in his
face. Some of God's glory fhines in the works
of creation, the fun, moon, and flars 3 fome of
it in the works of providence : but all the glory

A a of

354 '-^^ Licwih in

of God is here. He is tlie temple of God, and

there doth beauty Jiint\ Pfalm xcvi. 6.

t^thly^ Are you for a loving as well as a lovely
Match ? Behold, the Lamb that is in the midft of
the throne is a mirror of love, without all dimen-
lion : O the height mid depth, and length and breadth
of his Love ! He loved and prayed for his enemies
that murdered him, and hov/ then mufl he love
his friends that v/ill match with him ? Again,

6thly, Are you for a beloved match, v/ho is va-
lued and efleemed of all, whofe love and eileem is
worth the regarding ? O the Lamb in the midft
of the throne is beloved of all the holy angels,
they admire and adore him ; he is beloved of all
the faints in heaven and earth, they fay, This is
cur beloved ; he is beloved of God the Father, who
fays. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-
pleafed: he is hated of none but the devil, and his
wicked crew.

Li a word, Jthly^ Are you for an immortal
match? Well, here is the Lamb that is in the midlt
of the throne j he lives for ever and ever : / a7?i
he that ivas dead, and am alive ; and behold, I live
for evermore. The befl friends here in this world
are mortal, and may leave you in a moment j but
the Lamb is the King eternal and immortal: he lives
for ever, and he can make you live for ever. O
niortal worms, whofe bodies will be laid in the
duft in a few days or hours, and who have no-
thing but a thin wall of flefli between you and
eternity j are ye for a match, that can abundantly
jointure you for another world, and portion you
for eternity ? Is tliis a defpicable bargain ? Are
your lufls and idols and perifliing vanities of this
world, a better bargain r Nay, you dare not
iay it for your life. This very offer of Chrift,

the midfl of the Throne, 3^^

accept or rejed it as you will, it is worth ten
thouland worlds.

'^thly. Are you for a match, that can pay all
your debt to law and juftice, that can fupply all
your wants, that can heal all your difeafes, that
can bear all your burdens, fandtify all your crofles,
and fweeten all your afflid;ions, fubdue all your
enemies, and manage all your concerns, and make
you happy for ever ? Then come and match with
the Lamb that is in the midfl of the throne : a
greater offer cannot be made to you than this mofl
glorious king, upon the moft glorious throne. O
great propofal ! Wonder, men and angels, at this
gofpel-offer ! Be aftonifhed, O heavens and earth ! If
fuch a matchlefs match be offered and rejected, all
the angels and faints that are about his throne will
cxy, fiajne upon you for ever^ that rejed: and refufe fuch
a bargain ; and we mufl fay, Amen^ everlafling
fhame muft be upon you. What was the Gada-*
re?ies blafphemy, but their preferring their fwine
to our Lord Jefus Chrifl, when he was upon the
earth, and not yet upon the throne ? But greater
is your blafphemy, O finner, if you prefer your
fwinifh lufts to our glorious Lord, now exalted to
the throne. What ! prefer the fwine, that are in
the midfl of the dunghill, to the Lamb in the
midfl of the throne ! O bafe, brutifh, mad, and
devilifh blafphemy !

I hope, by this time, there are none hearing me,
but are fo far felf-convided, that they fee they
mufl condemn themfelves, if they rejedl fuch an
offer as is made to them j and therefore I take wit-
nefs upon it, that when the Lamb, that is' now in
the midfl of the throne of grace, will be the
Lamb in the midfl of the throne of Judgment, atth^
lail day, ye mufl own that the lentence of con-
A a 2 demnation

2^6 T/je Lamb in

demnation, that fliall be then pafTed againft you,
will be juft and righteous, if you fland to your re-
fufal : therefore, though this fhould be a rejected
offer to day, yet it fhall redound to the honour of
the Lamb at the great day, infomuch that the con-
demnation of you v/ill be the juiliiication of him ;
your own confciences witnefs, that he will be juft
when he fpeaks, and clear when he judges and ad-
judges you to hell and damnation, becaufe of
your neglecting the great falvation, and rejecting
the offer of the great Saviour, the Lamb that is in
the midft of the throne. By way of anticipation
the tribunal is now eredted before-hand in your
bofom, where God's deputy confcience, fits as the
judge ; and there the Lamb is acqutited as free of
your blood, and the fentence comes forth, that
your blood is upon your own head. Well, I
hope your judgment is perfuaded of this, that
fuch an offer is made to you, as is worthy of all ac-
ceptation : but O, lince the judgment may be in-
formed and gained, while yet the heart is not en-
gaged 5 therefore, though faith come by hearing
what a worthy Lamb is offered to you, yet bare
hearing will not do without the heart-drawing
power of the Spirit, which is before the throne :
and therefore, this being the pure cryjlal river, that
proceeds out of the throne of God and of the Lamb^
Rev. xxii. 1,2. that this river of the drawing in-
fluences of tlie fpirit, may run down among you,
I will put the befl: rope in your hand, that I know,
for bringing down this bleffing ; it is even the
Lamb's own fweet promife, Johnxii. 32. And ly
if I be Ufted up from the earthy will draw all meji
unto me. Where notice, i . The perfons concerned.
2. The promife. And, 3. The condition of it.

the midjl of the Tloj-om, 357

I/?, The perfons, all men. There is an all among
fmful men, that Chrift the fecond Ada77i hath to
draw to him j thefe were given of the Father to
him, 2.nd thty fiall ccme^ John \\. 37. Yea, thefe
he nni/i b?'i?ig to him, John x. 16. He muft draw
them, and they fhall hear his voice. But, left
any iliould hereupon fay, perhaps I am not among
the number of the fecond Adani^ all, that he is
to draw j perhaps I am excluded by the fecret
counfel, or hidden decree of God from all eterni-
ty. Tlierefore I will tell you what may fatisfy
you fully upon this point, " that the Lamb, that
now is in the midft of his Father's throne, was
in the midfl: of his Father's counfels from all eter-
nity J the Lamb was at that council-table : there-
fore let not the thoughts of the eternal decree be
terrible and dreadful to you ; for the Lamb was
upon the concert, and therefore nothing pafTed at
that council to the prejudice of any poor finner,
that would venture his foul upon the blood of the
Lamb. It was concerted there, that the ground
and objeft of faith fhould be no hidden counfel,
no paft decree, but a prefent openly declared truth 5
namely, tb^t the Lamb is in the midft of the
throne, and that whofoever will, might come to
him, and him that comes, he will in no wife caft
out : and therefore, if you venture your life and
falvation upon the Lamb, that is at prefent upon
the throne of grace, you have nothing either paft
or future to fear ; neither any paft decree, or any
future wrath : and now, by this free offer of Chrift
to you all, God is accompliftiing his glorious de-
cree, that you may be for ever happy upon your
acceptance, or for ever inexcufable upon your re-
fufal.

A a 3 2^/v,

58 The La7nh

idly^ The promife, which is, I iinll draw all
men unto me. In cafe any fhould fay, there is in--
deed a free offer, and a good bargain ; but I have
a reluftant as well as a deceitful heart, I cannot em-
brace the offer, nor bring up my heart to clofe
with Chrift, and make up the match. Why, here
is the encouraging promife, / idUI draw j that is,
I will fend the fpirit to draw out your heart, to
make it rife and mount, like a flame towards the
throne, where the Lamb fits. But if I do not find
this drawing power, what encouragement have I
to look for it .? Why, notice,

3^/y, The condition of this promife, If I be
lift up from the earth. Not an uncertain condition,
depending upon us , but a fare condition, depend-
ing upon himfelf : If I be If ted iip^ or, when I
am If ted up. Now, the condition is performed j
Chrift was not only lifted up upon the crofs, but
now he is lifted up to the throne. Now, Chrift
faid, fohn xvi. 7. If I go to the Father, I will
fend the fpirit ; If I go to the throne, I will fend
down the fpirit in his drawing influences. And
now, may you not plead. Lord, the condition is
performed, the time is come, thou art lift up,
thou art upon the throne ; therefore let the cryfl:al
river run down out of the throne of God, and of
the Lamb. Is this the language of your heart and
foul t Lord, draw, draw -, thou that art the Lamb
in the midft of the throne, draw my heart to
thee, according to thy word. Is your heart burn-
ing or beating, faying, O I I am the blackefl, the
vilefl; iinner that ever matched with fuch a glorious
one ; but yet I find my heart beating and burning
within me, faying, O! to be drawn, O! to have the
Lam.b that is in the midft of the throne, to eredt
his throne in the midft of my heart, and to rule

2 there

the midjl cf the Throne, 359

h-ere In the midlt of his enemies, and to be all in
all to me, for icifdom, rigbtcoujhefs, fandlifcaiion,
and rcdanption^ to me ? Why then, we may fay,
your heart is the throne, and the Lamb is in the
midil of the throne. And, if the drawing power
of his fpirit, hath made up the match between
him and you, we are warranted to lead you next
to the marriage-fupper, where the Lamb that is in
the midji of the throne Jhall feed you.

A Word at the Clofe on the Monday.

E F O R E you go, I fliall conclude this fo-
lemn \vork in two words, one directed to the
tviemie^ of the Lamb, and another to the Lovers of
the Lamb in the midfl: of the throne.

Firf, to you that are ene7nie: to him. If the
Lamb be in the midfl: of the throne, then let fin-
ners ftoop to him 3 O fink down at his feet, and
be content to be ruled by him : If you be ruled
by your own lulls, and by your fins, you put
Chrilt out of his throne in effed:, and put your
Lufls in his room. O finner, confider how you
crofs and contradid: the great God by this means :
he hath faid of Chrift, Ffalm ii. / have fet my
King upon mine holy hill; I have fet him in the
midfi: of the throne : and, are you faying to your
lufi:s, be ye king over me ? Man will you live
in fin, and fin againfi; him that is in the midfl of
God's throne ? If a thief cut a purfe when the
judge is upon the bench, and the fentence ready to
pafs againfl him, he is worthy to be hanged :
Chrifl is on the bench, in the ad of judgment -,
A a 4 O Man,

360 The Lamh in

O Man, bev/are of finning againft him : be afraid,
O ye that are enemies to the Lamb, enemies in
your minds by wicked works ; it is hard for you to
kick agairifl the pricks : Can you harden yourfelf
againji Gcd and p?'ofper ? Nay, you fhall be fo
far from profpering in this way, that the Lamb in
the midfl of the throne hath a rod of iron, to
break and dafh you to pieces. Confider this^ ye
that forget God. The Lamb will in a Httle while
be a lyon to tear you to pieces^ when there fiall be
none to deliver. The Lamb is yet upon the throne
of grace, inviting you j but it may be, this is the
lafl invitation you fhall have, till you fee him up-
on a judgment- feat : and what fhall be the effed;
of thefe gofpel-offers ye have enjoyed ? Thefe
folemn feafls will not always lafl, and it may be,
death will dalli you down to the duft before
another feafon of this fort. Can ye find in your
heart to let Chriil go, and this occafion over,
without getting any good of him ? Are you con-
tent that falvation hath come fo near yon, and
you mifs it for ever r If not, O will ye take the
firfl opportunity of retiring to fome corner, and
crying to the Lamb in the midft of the throne,
to come and draw you, and back thefe precious
means with his pov/erful blefTing ! He that is
in the midft of the throne, hath been fetting his
throne in the midfl of DimfermVme^ and faying.
Behold^ the tabei'-nacle of Gcd is with men I O let
him not lift his tent, till you be taken in! Again,
O crown him King, whom the Father hath crown-
ed ! O might this be his coronation-day! a day
of efpoufals with the Lamb, is his coronation-day.
Goforthy O daughter of Jerufalem, &c. Happy day,
if you could go away, faying, fuch a day, at the
communion of Dunfermline^ Chrifl was crowned

King J

the midjl of the Thro7te. 361

King ; I beheld King Jefus with the crown
wherewith his Father crowned him, and faw that
the Father fet him in the midft of the throne, and
I helped to put the crown upon his head 3 for,
through grace, I fet him in the midft of the
throne of my heart, and crowned him King there :
I found in my heart to dethrone fin, and enthrone
Chrift. O is Chrift crowned king here ! Hath no
virtue come from the throne to draw my heart,
as the Adamant draws the iron ? The clucking of
the hen makes the chicken to run : gofpel-preach-
ing is the clucking of the Lord- Jefus ; and much
of this you have had thefe days by gone. O have
you run under his wings ! See what Chrift fays to
"Jerufalem^ Matt, xxiii. 37, 38. O Jeriifalemy Je^
rufakm^ how oft would I have gathered I &c. Be-
hold^ your houfe is left unto you defolate. May we
hope, that God will not yet leave Scotland defolate,
but that Chrift will be crowned King in the
church of Scotland-, though he be robbed of his
royalties, and notwithftanding of all unwarranta-
ble a6ts that tend to the hurt of his government,
he is in the midft of the throne.

Secondly^ To you that are the lovers of the
Lamb, I offer firft a word of comfort : furely tho
the earth Jhciild be removed^ and the mountains be
cafi into the midfl of the fea ; though external go-
vernments ftiould be diflblved and overturned,
yet, while the Lamb is upon the throne, all ftiall
be ruled to advantage, unto all the lovers of the
Lamb. What though ye fliould fee minifters of
Chrift fufpended, or depofed for adhering to the
teftimony of Chrift, and endeavouring to keep a
good confcience in an evil day ? Tho' they fliould
be reproached and perfecuted, yet ftill there is a
river, the Jireams whereof make glad the city of

God:

362 Hoe Lamb in

God : and ftlll there is this great ground of com-
fort, that the Lamb is in the midft of the throne,
and the cryftal river proceeds from the throne of
God and of the Lamb : and upon this throne, the
Lamb rules righteoufly and mercifully, though
men rule never fo unjuftly and cruelly ; and in a
little time, there will be an end of man's rule and
government, but the Lamb's dominion is for ever
and ever. God the Father hath proclaimed that
he is the everlafting King, faying, Thy throne^ O
Gody is for ever and ever. The followers of the
Lamb have unfpeakable ground of comfort in
Chrift, whatever trouble they have in the world ;
In the world you fiall have tribulation^ but in me you
Jhall have peace ^ &c. I have overcome the v/orld,
and I am now upon the throne ; and you at lafl
/hall overcome, and fit down with me on my
throne.

1. Here is comfort againfl defertion. Though
the Lord may hide himfelf, and feem to be far
away, yet ftill it is food to your faith, that the
Lamb is in the midft of the throne j and, as he
never deferts the throne, fo he will never leave you
nor forfake you : Why ? The promifes are all yea
and amen, in him that is ever upon the throne,
to make out his word.

2. Here is comfort againfl the crofs. While you
have the crofs upon your back, you may keep the
throne in your eye, and you may be fure of pity
and favour thence, becaufe the Lamb is there,
who went from the crofs to the throne.

3 . Here is comfort againfl the power of fin, cor-
ruption and fpiritual enemies, be they never fo
powerful : for the Lamb is upon the throne of pow-
er, and all power in heaven and earth is given to him,

and

the midfi of the I'hrone, 363

and he is concerned in honour to deftroy thefe ene-
mies.

4. Here is comfort againfl want and weaknefs.
Your ftrength lies in the Lamb, &c.

5. Here is comfort againfl church-tyranny.
Times have been, when there was tyranny in the
ftate over the confcicnces of men j thefe were
reckoned very evil days : but, when there is ty-
ranny in the church over the confciences of men,
it is in many refpeds worfe : for church-perfe-
cution is a kind of blafphemy j it is, in the name
of God, to pcrfecute the people of God. But yet
here is comfort in this cafe, that church-tyranny
cannot keep the throne ; Shall the throne of iniquity
ha^'oefellowjUp with thee; which frameth mifchicf by
a law? No, noi Pfalm xciv. 20, 21. The Lamb
will keep the midfl of the throne, and tread down
his enemies in due time.

What would make a church-government glo-
rious and eminent ? namely, when the Lamb is
kept in the midfl of the throne, and when his fpi-
ritual kingdom is kept diflindl from the temporal
kingdoms of this world. The government of the
church is quite mifmanaged, when the Lamb is
put out of the throne, and temporal heritages are
made the foundation of fpiritual privileges : as for
example, when in the choice of paflors to any
congregation, which is a fpiritual privilege relating
to immortal fouls, the heritors of this earth, the
heirs of a little yellow dufl, have fuch a privi-
lege and preference given them, by vertue of their
temporal inheritance, as if they were lords > of the
confciences of men, and lords over God's heri-
tage : furely their fecular advantages in this world
can entitle them to no fpiritual privilege in
the houfe of God, no more than an earthly in-

lieritance

364 The Lamh in

heritance can entitle them to heaven : but to elve
them a dominion over the ibuls of men in this
matter, is a pradical dethroning of the Lamb
from the midft of the throne. Church-officers
themfelves are difcharged to ufurp fuch a domi-
nion, as to be lords over God's heritage : it is un-
lawful for them to obtrude paflors upon a chriftian
people, v^^ithout their confent; far lefs have they
power to put fuch a dominion, over men's con-
fciences, into the hands of earthly fuperiors. How
can they give what they have not themfelves ? In
fpirituals we are to own no man Lord, but he
that is Lord of lords, the Lamb that is in the
midil of the throne. Church-government is quite
overturned, when the throne of Chrift's fpiritual
kingdom is poiTeft by any other in this world but
only the Lamb.

Here is comfort againft death. Death fliall not
reign, becaufe the Lamb is in the midft of the
throne, and liveth for ever and ever, and hath the
jkeys of hell and death ; and therefore death iliall
be fwallowed up in vi6tory. Here is comfort a-
gainfl the fear of judgment j that awful day needs
be no terror to the lovers of the Lamb, becaufe,
when the fiery tribunal will be erected, the Lamb
will be in the midil of the throne 5 and the friends
of the Lamb will be received into his bofom,
while all his enemies will ftand trembling before
his throne. Here is comfort in the view of a long
eternity, that the Lamb, that is for ever in the
midil of the throne, will for ever feed you, and
lead you unto living fountains of waters, and wipe
away all tears from your eyes. O w^ho can tell
the happincfs of the higher houfe, the glorious
feeding and leading you fhall have there, the ever-
lafting and everliving fountain of divine confola-

tion.

the midjl of the T'hrone, 365

tion, wherewith ye fhall be for ever refrefhed !
The fountain is God and his glorious attributes,
Chrift and his ii^exhauftible fulnefs, the fpirit and
his everlafting confolation, a glorious trinity : God
who is now a promifing God, will then be a per-
forming God. Who can tell the fweetnefs of that
bleffing, his wiping all tears from your eyes ? He
that hath a bottle for your tears now, hath a nap-
kin to wipe them all away then ; for ye floall ob-
tain joy and gladnefi^ and forrow and Jighing fiall
Jiee away.

Secondly^ I offer a word of advice to you. O
if the Lamb be in the midft of the throne, then
be quiet amidft all the maladminiflrations of men,
amidft all the mifmanagements of churchmen and
church-judicatories ; becaufe, tho' men cannot be
juftified in their church-ruining projeds, yet the
Lamb, being in the midft of the throne, hath a
juft, holy, and fovereign hand in ordering thefe
evils, when he hath a controverfy to plead with
us. Let us fee the hand of God in leaving men
to themfelves, to rob the church and people of
God of their rights and reformation-privileges.
What was the hand of Pilate againft Chrift, the
cruelleft a6t that ever was done ? Why, it was the
hand of God himfelf : for it is faid, when Pilate
fpake, faying, Doji thou not know that I have power
to crucify thee^ or to Jet thee at liberty "^ Chrift an-
fwered, T^hoii couldji have no power ^ except it were
given thee of my Father. Even io fay I, churcli-
men or church-judicatories, courts or aftemblies,
could have no power to break down any of the
carved work of reformation, no power to harm
the liberties of God's people in chuiing their pa-
ftors, no power to obtrude miniftcrs en chnftian
congregations, willing to chufe faidiful paftors, no

power

366 Ihe Lamb in

power to pafs fentence againfl fuch as oppofe that
flood of defed:ion, except it were given them of
our Father j and therefore let us be quiet and fo-
ber: we have fome other thing to do, than to
break out in a paffionate refentment againll poor
mortal men, the finful inflruments of the church's
confufion and diforder. When Shimci railed upon
Davidy Let him alone^ fays Davidy may be the
Lord hath bidden him. The Lord, for our trial
and chaftifement, may be, hath bidden fome in
cur day, go and tread upon the rights of yonder
people; go and reproach and perfecute, fufpend
and depofe fuch miniflers for keeping a good con-
fcience in an evil time : I fay, it may be the Lord
hath bidden ; yea, Is there evil in the city^ and the
Lord hath not done it .? Is there evil in the church,
and the Lord hath not done it 3 No, no : Well,
what of that ? This does not juflify evil inflru-
ments, no ; but it fays, we are to be fober, and
lay our hand upon our mouth, and bear the indig-
nation of the Lord, becaufe we have finned a-
gainft him : we are to be dumb, and not to open
our mouth, becaufe he does it. The Lamb in
the midll: of the throne hath the government upon
his flioulders, and he is righteoufiy ordering and
over-ruling thefe matters for the profitable trial of
his people, and the glorious praife of his name in
the iflue. 'The 'wrath of ma?i Jhall praife thee, and
the remainder of his tsorath wilt thou refrain. The
Lord hath his own time and way of reflraining his
enemies, and his own time and way of reforming
his church ; and when the Lord lliall appear in
his glory, he will build up Zion. Sometimes he
fees lit to appear in his wrath, and then he lets out
the wrath of man, the enmity of man, to the
breaking down of Zion^ and of his carved work:

but

the midjl of the 'Throne, 367

bat there Is another time, when he fees fit to ap-
pear in his glory, and then to reftrain the wrath
of man, and reform his church. And fince he is
appearing in his wrath in our day, letting out the
reins of man's wrath, to the ruining of refor-
mation-work ; O be fober and humble, and de-
pend upon him as the Lamb in the midft of the
tlirone, who hath the reins in his hand, to let
them out, or take them in, as he pleafes. Inftru-
ments are but his word, his hand, by which he
does what he pleafes, Ffal. xvii. 13, 14. Deliver
my foul from the ivickedj from men which are thy
haiid, OLord. Think not then, that the government
is out of Chrift's hand, when men are doing many
fad things, and giving many heavy blows to the
work of God : no, no j men are but his hand,
and it is the hand of God that juftly and righ-
teoufly is lying heavy upon his people. Look a-
bove men then, you have not to do with them ;
there is a turn of matters juft as he is pleafed to
turn his hand j the Lamb is in the midft of the
throne, and in the midft of heavy clouds hanging
over Scotland j therefore look to him, that he may
turn away his wrath ; Pfalm ii. at the clofe, Kifs
the Son^ left he be angry ^ and ye perififrom the way,
when his wrath is kindled but a little : blejjed are all
they that put their trufi in him.

•Again, (2.) If it is only the Lamb that is in
the midft of the throne, O then be tender of thefe
tliat are followers of the Lamb, while they are
yet upon the footftool, and not yet fet down with
Chrift upon his throne. They are in danger in an
evil day, wherein tliey are called to give teftimony
againft the evils and corruptions of the day, to
go afide to fome extreme or other. There are
many thoughts of heart, and many needle fs words

among

368 The Lamb in

among people at prefent about the manner of teftl-*
fying. Some are accufed as if they were too far
forward, others are accufed as if they were too far
behind, in their teftimony. Well, not to meddle
with miftakes people may be under, it may be
both thefe are true : for, who can fay, I am clean,
and do not err toward the right or left-hand, when
they would appear for Chrill and his caufe ? But

0 be tender of the militant followers of Chrift ;

1 hope you will remember, that it is only the
Lamb that is able to keep the midft of the throne -,
and I hope, we are all willing to fubfcribe to this,
that this honour only belongs to him, that he was
able to keep the midil of the way to the throne,
without going to one fide or other : none but
himfelf was ever able to do fo ; let him alone
have the glory.

(3.) Let me fay to you that have become the
bride, the Lamb's wife, if the Lamb be in the
midil of the throne, O then fee, that ye frequent
the throne. What more inviting argument than
this can there be, that the Lamb is in the midft
of it ? and the farther in the better. Never reft
till you be in the midft of the throne, where the
Lamb is. You may have boldnefs to go as far
in as the Lamb goes, and you will find this the
moft pleafant exercife in the v/orld, and the moft
profitable alfo : for grace and mercy is about
the throne of grace j it is a mercy-feat, becaufe
the Lamb is there.

(4.) O believer, if the Lamb be in the midft
of the throne, even the Lamb, your Head, your
Huiband, fee that you live upon him by faith;
let the Lamb be your feeder, and the Lamb your
food every day j and beware you do not difgrace
your honourable Hufband. Are you married to

the

the m'ldjl of the Tlorone. 369

the Lamb in the midft of the throne ? V/e read,
that Bathfieba faid to her fon, Prov. xxxi. 4. It
is ?wt for kings y O Lemuel, it is not for kings
to drink wine^ nor for princes Jlrong drink. So, it
is not for behevers in Chrift to drink and tipple,
to fwear and cheat j the gracelefs world do fo.
But, O have you been at a communion-table ?
Hath the Lord graced and honoured you with
marriage to the Lamb in the midft of the throne ?
Do not difgrace yourfelf, it is below your rank :
fee that you live as becomes thofe that are match-
ed and married to the Prince of the kings of the
earth.

I remember fome years ago, after certain dif-
puting in the church about the doctrine of the
gofpel, we had a folemnity here, on which oc-
cafion I was led to fpeak of the fubftance of gof-
pel-dodrine, Chrift given of God to be a cove-
nant of the people ; and now I am obliged to re-
mark, That after fome contendings, or rather in
the midfl: of fome contendings in the church, about
the government of his houfe, I have been led,
without any delign in me, but only as the text
was pleafant to my own foul, to fpeak of the fum
and centre of ecclefiaftical government, the Lamb
in the midfl of the throne. I remember, at that
former occafion, the Lord was prefent by his fpirit,
and gave evidence thereof unto many j and now
I hope, at this occaiion alfo, there fhall be fome
bleffings dropped down from the throne. And O
to be going away from this place, with this truth
fealed upon our heart, concerning the Lamb's be-
ing in the midft of the throne ! Come what will,
there is no fear of the followers of the Lamb, and
the fufterers for him 5 for the Lamb is in the
midfl of the throne,

Bb A

A I'reafure of Gofpel-grace digged
out of mount Sinai.

O R,

The finner's claim of right, cleared from God's
■ ■ Covenant with IJrael at Sinai.

BEING

A SERMON preached on a facramental oc-
cafion at Kii2glajjie.

By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.
E XOD. XX. 2, 3.

/ am the Lord thy God. — Thou JJjalt hav&
no other gods before me»

OOLOMON fays, Where the word of a King
^ is, there is power ; What power then muft
there be, where the word of God is, who is the
King of kings, and the Lord of lords ! Pray, firs,
notice and conlider what is faid, 'verfe i . God /pake
all thefe words : this is enough to make heaven and
earth to liflen, with the moft profound iilence and
adoration, If a. i. 2. Hear, O heavens, give ear, O
earth ; for the Lord bath fpoken. 'The mighty God
the Lord hath fpoken. And, Vv'hen he fpeaks, he
calls the earth, from the rifmg of the fun to the going

down

A 'Treafure of Gof pel-grace^ Sec, 371

ilown thereof^ to liftcn : and therefore, O caril\
earthy earthy hear the word of the Lord. God
[pake all thefe words : this is hke the founding of
a trumpet before the Kings proclamation. God
fpake all the words of this bible in a mediate way,
by the mouths of his holy prophets and apoRles ;
but, here, GOD himfelf is the immediate fpeaker ;
furely it mull be fome matter of vafl moment, and
of the highefl importance, when God himfelf is
the preacher. Well, what are the words God
fpake in fuch an immediate manner ? ^fif. All
thefe words, from the 2d "oerfe of this chapter, to
the clofe of ^verfe 17. And, firs, I would have
you remember, that all thefe words are fpoken as
directly to you, and to every foul hearing me, as
ever they were unto Ifrael ; and you and I are to
reckon ourfelves no lefs concerned now, to hear
and regard them, than if we had been ilanding at
the foot of Stjiai among the children of Ifrael,
when the heavenly trumpet founded, and the voice
of God was uttered with fuch awful majefty, as
made Mofes and all Ifrael fall a quaking and trem-
bling : for all thefe words are directed unto us,
as much as they were unto them ; and therefore
do not ililft them, as though they were fpoken
only to Ifrael, or as if they were fpoken to others,
and not to you ; no, no ; to thee man, to thee
woman, God now fpeaks all thefe words in this
bible ; and therefore hear and liften, with parti-
cular application of them to thy own foul, as if
God were calling thee out of heaven, by name
and firname. Two of thefe ten words I dclign
to fpeak to, namely thefe, taken in their connec-
tion ; I am the Lord thy God. — -Then fialt ka've no
ether Gods before me,

B b 2 Where

372 A "Treafure of GoJ pel-grace

Where two things are confiderablc ; i/?, A
great and gracious promife^ even the leading pro-
mife of the covenant, / am the Lord thy God. zdlyy
A great and gracious laiv or covmiandment ^ founded
upon the covenant promife and grant ; a law, the
obligation whereof the very light of nature cannot
ihake off j I'hoti JJ:alt have ?20 other gods before me.

Fi7'Ji, We have a great promife or new covenant-
grant ; I AM the Lord thy God. The greatefl
word ever God fpake fince the fall of Adam ; for
here he not only fpeaks forth his own glory and

tranfcendent beins:, but he fneaks over himfelf un-

to us, as our God. Here is a promife, yea fome-
thing more than a promife ; a promife is com-
monly expreiTed with refped; to the time to come,
concerning fomething God hath a mind to do here-
after ', but, here, God fpeaks in the prefent time,
I AM the Lord thy God. i. e. Now^ while I am
fpeaking, from this moment, I become your God ;
and from this time forw^ard, you may claim me as
fuch, and hold me to it, by this my grant that I
make of myfelf unto you. God's covenant of
promife is not a thing paji^ or a thing to come on-
ly ; but a thing prefent^ I AM the Lord thy
God. Faith never wants a foundation ; no, it is
alw^ays invariably the lame : and, if our faith did
bear a juil proportion unto the ground of faith in
the covenant, v/c would not be up and down in
our believing ; no, we would be always believing,
and that with the fuUeft aflurance of faith. There
is a two-fold title, by which God defcribes him-
felf here, in this covenant-grant ; the one is ejfen-
tia/, and the other relative, i. The effential title
is J E H 0 FA H ; the force of which is open-
ed, Rev. I. 4. He that isy that laas, and is to come.
And it implies his felf-exijfence^ that he hath his

being

digged out of mount Sinai. 373

being of himfelf, independent of all other beings ;
and, that he giveth being to all other beings what-
ever, in heaven above, or in the earth beneath.
The 'Jcivs think this name fo facred, that they
judge it unlawful to pronounce it. It is a
name common to each perfon of the glorious
Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghofl, who
are one God. Chrift is called JEHOVAH
frequently in the fcripture, as well as the Fa-
ther, Jer. xxiii. 6. T^his is the name wherewith he
jhall he called, J EHO VA H our righteoiifnefs.
And we have very good ground to think that it
was Jehovah, in the perfon of the cte?'nal Son,
that fpake all thefe words from the top of Sinai
unto Ifracly as w^e may have occalion to clear more
fully afterwards. 2. Another title whereby he here
defcribes himfelf is relati-ve ; THT GO D y this
is that which fweetens the name of Jehovah unto
Its, he is Jehovah our God. The terror of his
amazing and infinite greatnefs was enough to
affright and aflonifh all mankind : but when he
fays, I am thy God, even thy own God ; not an
avenging God, to execute the penalty of the bro-
ken law upon thee, but a God with thee, a God on
thy fide, to pity, pardon and defend thee ; a God
gracious and merciful, abundant in goodnefs and in
truth : this, O this ! renders his name Jehovah
amiable and defirable.

Secondly, In the words we have a law or com-
mandment, fuited unto, and founded upon this co-
venant-grant ; T^hou fialt have no other gods before
me. This, as many of the reft of the command-
ments are, is delivered in negative terms, prohibi-
ting and forbidding, ' the denying or not worfliip-
* ping and glorifying the true God as God, and our
[ God; and the giving that worfliip and glory to

B b 3 I any

374 A Treaftire of Gofpel-grace.

* any other, which is due to him alone.' And
this law or commandment, as the generality of
the other commandments, is delivered in negative
terms, becaufe of the perpetual propenlity of our
ratures, fince the fall, to depart from the living
God through an evil heart of unbelief. But, al-
tho' the command be delivered in negative terms,
yet the contrary pofitive duty is manifeilly included
in it, or under it, namely, * To know and ac-

* knowledge God to be the only true God, and
' our God ; and to Vv^orihip and glorify him ac-
' cordirgly', as is well exprelTed in our catechifm.
As for thefe words. Before me, or befo7'e my face^
as it may be read j this exprefllon plainly teaches
us, that an omnifcient and all-feeing God, before
whom all things are open and naked, and who

Jel:s our mofi Jecret fns in the light of his coume-
nance^ taketh notice of, and is much difpleafed
with, the fin of having any other God ; and con-
fcquently is well pleafcd with the iinner, v/ho
knows and acknowledges him as the only true
God, and his own God, according to the gift of
the covenant, which is the foundation of our claim
to him. From which words,

Obfer. That as God is the Lord and our Gody by
his own free gift in a covenajit of Grace, fo it is
his royal ivill and pleafiire, intimated to us in the
firft ccnimandment of his law, that we fioidd know
and acknowledge him to be our own God, upon the
ground of that co'venant -grant. I have framed the
dodrine almofl in the words of our lefTer cate-
chifm, opening up the import of this promife
and precept ; and, O that I could make all this
company, and the whole world of mankind, if
I had accefs, to underftand what a glorious and
rich treafure they have among their hands, when

they

digged out of 77ioiint Sinai. 375

they hear thefe words repeated, or repeat them
theinfelves ! / am the Lord thy God, — Hhou jhalt
have 710 other Gods before me. Alas ! there are ma-
ny have thefe words by rote, who never confider
what is in them j juft like a company of people
travelling the high-way, where an immenfe trea-
fure lies under their feet j they pafs and ^ repafs
it, but mils the treafure, becaufe they never dig
into the field : fo, people read and repeat thefe
words, and lofe God and eternal life, that lie hid
in them, becaufe they don't advert to what tl:^ey
are faying or reading.

But, O firs, let me befeech and intreat you,
for your foul's fake, to paufe a little , and confider
what is in thefe words, I am the Lord thy God,'-—
Thou JJ:alt have ?io other gods before me. You and
J, by the breach and violation of the firft cove-
nant, in our father Adam, lofl our God ; and, ever
fince, every man and woman is without God in the
world 'j and, being without God, we are without
hope, without help, without grace, light, life,
flrength, or any thing that is good. When we
loft our God, we loft all, and loft it to all in-
tents and purpofes. Well, but firs, I tell you
glad tidings of the great ef joy that ever mankind
heard fince the fall of Adam. Here you have
your God, whom you loft by the firft cove-
nant, coming back again to you in a new cove-
nant, a covenant of grace, and faying to every
one of you, I am the Lord thy God : he becomes
our God, not upon the footing of works, but
of free grace. And becaufe the finner, tlirough
a fenfe of guilt and wrath, might be ready to
fear and fay, O I cannot think that God is
fpeaking to me, when he fays, / am the Lord
thy God! I doubt, may the finner fay, if I be
B b 4 warranted

37^ -^ Treafure of Gofpel-grace

warranted to claim him as my God, who have
forfeited all claim and title to him : in anfwer un-
to this, confider. That a royal law is iflued out ;
yea, the very law of nature, written at firft upon
Adam% heart, is repeated, and adapted unto the
difpenjation of the covenant of grace, binding and
obliging every one, to whom thefe prefents are
intimated, to take him as their God in Chrift, up-
on the footing of this new covenant. And 'tis re-
markable, how infinite wifdom outwits the policy
of hell, and turns the counjel thereof into foolifinefs,
Satan ruins man by tempting him to break the
law, and fo to affront God in his authority and
fovereignty: well, but God takes the very iirft
commandment of that law, which Adam broke,
and brings it in under a new covenant, the fum of
which is this, / am the Lord thy Gody and fo
makes that very law fubfervient to man's recovery,
and his greateft warrant to lay claim to Jehcvah as
his God : fo that you fee, this firft commandment,
in this fituation, connecfled with the preface, is
juft big and pregnant with amazing grace and
love. But this will yet further appear in the pro-
fecution of this fubje(St, which I fhall attempt to
fpeak to in the following order and method, thro*
divine affiftance.

I.' To fpeak a little of this covenant-promife,
/ am the Lord thy God.

II. To fpeak a little of the precept, Thou Jhalt
have no other gods before pie.

III. To enquire a little into the connection be-
twixt thefe two.

IV. Apply the whole.

Firft thing js to fpeak a little of this covenant-
promife, / am the Lord thy God. And here I
Ihall, (i.) Offer a few general remarks concerning

this

digged out of mount Sinai. 3^-7

this fundamental promife, or grant of the covenant.
(2.) Enquire a little more particularly into the im-
port of it J or what that is which God promifes
when he fays fo.

I. I would offer a few general remarks con-
cerning this great covenant-grant and promife, /
am the Lord thy God y as, (i.) I remark, \h2it thisy
as all the other promifes, is in Chriji : my meaning
is, that it goes upon a ranfom found, and a fatis-
fadtion paid, unto juftice, by Chrift our glorious
furety. Sirs, be aware of imagining, that an ab-
folute God, or a God out of Chrift, utters this
promife : no, no ; an abfolute God is a confiiming
fire unto guilty finners, and he could never fpeak
in fuch a dialed: to any of the linful rebellious race
of Adam^ in a confiftency with the honour of
his holinefs, juftice and fovereignty, which were
offended and affi'onted in the violation of his roy-^
al law. Unlefs the Son of God had promifed, as
our furety, to pay the infinite ranfom, that juftice
demanded, none of Adam's pofterity had ever
heard any thing but the terrible thunders of his
wrath and juftice purfuing them for fin : fo that
this co'venant -grant and promife, as well as the
other declarations of the grace and love of God
in the word to peri filing finners, muft needs ga
upon the footing of the blood and fatisfadtion of
Jefus, 2 Cor. v. 19. God was in Chriji reconciling
the ii'orld iinto himjelfi ?tot imputing their trefpajfes
unto them, and hath committed unto m the word of
reconciliation. And therefore, firs, whenever you
read or hear a word of Grace from God, think
upon Chrift, in and through whom only God is a
God of peace ; and let your fouls fay, O thanks be
unto God for his unfpeakable gift\ (2.) It is more
than probable, that it was God, in the perfon of

his

2jS A Treafure of G of pel-grace

his eternal Son, that uttered all thefe words at mount
^inai -, and this promile in particular, whereby the
law was ufhered in. Here was a parliament, or
general aiTembly of angels, called at mount &"-
nai ', and Chrifl the great angel of the coven-
ant was the prefident, or great Lord-fpeaker.
This I gather from P/^j/;;;lxviii. 17, and 18, verfes,
compared. Verfe 17. it is faid, T^he chariots of
God are twejtty thoufand, even thoiijands of angels ;
the Lord is in the midft of them as in Sinai, in the
holy place: Well, what Lord was it that was a-
mong them at Sinai ? Bjven that fame Lord, verfe
18. ivho afcended lip on high, and led captivity cap-
tive, and received gifts for men, &c. See alfo to
the fame purpofe, A^s vii. 37, 38. compared.
Verfe 37. A prophet fl:<ill the Lord your God raife
tip unto you, of your brethren, like unto me, him (J: all
ye hear. Chrift is that great prophet : but then
notice what follows, verfe 38. ^his is he that was
in the church in the wildernefs with the angel, that
fpake to him, viz. (unto Mofes and the children of
IJrael) in m.ount Sinai, and with our Fathers: fo
that it was Chrill the Son of God that fpake all
thefe words in mount Sitiai, faying, I a'm the Lord
thy God, which brought thee out of the land (j/'Egyptj
€ut of the houfe of bondage. Thoufialt have no other
gods before me, &c. And, by the way, this fur-
niflies us with a notable confutation of the Arians,
who deny Chrift to be the fupreme, felf-exiftcnt
ahd independent God. Who did ever doubt, that
k was the fupreme God, the felf-exiflent God that
fpake all thefe words, and delivered the law with
fuch awful folemnity at mount Sinai ^ Yet, from
what 1 was faying, it appears, that it was none
other than Chrift the eternal Son. But more of
this in the application. (3.) I remark, that this
covenant -grant and promije is the fame upon the
2 matter

digged out of mount Sinai. 379

matter with the promife God had made unto Ahra-
hain feveral hundreds of years before. Now God's
promife to Abraham was, I ivill be t]j^ God, and
the God of thy feed', and here he meets with his
feed at Sinai, and repeats what he had faid to
their fathers, Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, faying,
I am the Lord thy God-, i. e. I am the very fame
promifing God, that fpake unto Abrahatn, and
what I faid unto him, I fay it over again unto you
his poflerity, and give the fame ground for your
faith that he had ; as / iioas his God, fo / am the
Lord thy God. God does not come and go upon
his promife, he is not yea and nay j he does not
make a promife one day and retrad it another ;
no, it is always yea and amen. He does not fpeak
of the promife made to Abraham, as a thing out
of date after fo many years ; no, it is as frefh and
green with me as the firft day I made it, / am ftill
the Lord thy God : the promife is renewed in their
own perfons immediately by God, and they have
as good a foundation laid by this means, as ever
Abraha?n had, who beUeved without ftaggering.
(4.) Thefe words, I am the Lord thy God, contain
the leading promife of the covenant of grace ; and
there is more in them than heart can conceive,
or tongue exprefs : for here is an infinite God,
Father, Son and Holy Ghoft, making over him-
felf in two or three words to man upon earth. O
what can he give more than himfelf ! and what
will he not give when he gives himfelf? Rom. viii.
29. He that [pared not his own Son, but gave him
unto the death for us all ; How will he not with him
freely give us all things^ (5.) This promife is fo
framed by infinite wifdom, as to point to every
individual perfon in the camp of Ifrael: it is not
ye colledtively, but thou in the fingular, as if he
fpake to every individual perfon in the camp, and

every

380 A Treafure of Gofpel-grace

every man was to look to it as pointing at him in
particular; like a well drawn pidure, it looked
every man in the camp flraight in the face. And,
not only did this promife point to every man and
woman there prefent at mount Siiiai^ when the
law was delivered, but it looked forward to all
fucceeding generations, and every man and woman
that fhould fpring of them ; for this promife was
to them ajid to their feed : fo that no fooner did any
of the pofterity of Abraham come into the world,
but God faid to him, as much as to the men that
were at the foot of *S/;z^/, / am the Lord thy God.
And no fooner did one of the Ge?itile nations join
himfelf to the commonwealth of Ifrael, but im-
mediately he found the God of Ifrael faying to
him, lam the Lord thy God : and, in this refpedt,
this promife was a door of faith opened unto the
Gentiles, even before the coming of Chrifl. And
when Chrifl came in the fit{\\ and by his death
and refurredlion, and publication of the everlafting
gofpel unto the Gentile world, broke down the
partition-wall betwixt them and the Jews, this
promife, as well as the law fubjoined thereunto,
extended itfelf, not only to the Jews and their feed,
but to the Gentiles, who were afar off, and to as
many as the Lord our Godjhotdd call by the found
of the gofpel-trumpet : fo that now, under the
new teftament, this promife becomes a ground of
faith unto us, as well as unto them ; and we have
the fame interefl in it that they had. But, to clear
this, I fhall add a (6.) remark, namely. That
this promife may be confidered in a threefold fitu-
ation ; either as it is in the heart of God, or as it
is in the word of God, or as in the hand of faith.
jjl. As it is the heart of God, or in his counfel or
decree ; and, when viewed in this lituation, it is
peculiar only to his chofen people, v/hom he has

loved

digged out of mount Sinai. 381

l&vcd "With an everlajimg love, before the foundations
of the world : but, as it is in God's heart, it is
not an objed of faith unto any oi Adam'% poflerity;
no, not to the eled themfelves, becaufe they do
not know that they are among the number of the
elc6b, till they be a6tually believers : no man can
fay, at the firfl inftant, in a way of believing,
^be Lord is my God upon the ground of eledling
love J fo that the promife, in this fituation, being
all one with the decree, muft be laid afide as an
objedt of faith at the firfl inftance. idly\ The
promife may be viewed as fituate in the word, as
it is publiflied and proclaimed to the vifible church,
to whom belong the adoption, and the giving of the
law, and the promifes: view it in this fituation,
it is a ground of faith to every one that hears it j
God faid to every man in the camp of IJrael, and
he fays to every man and woman in the vifible
church, / am the Lord thy God ; and, Thou Jhalt
have no other gods before me. And the man or wo-
man that does not know and acknowledge God
as his God in Chrift, upon the ground of the pro-
mife confidered in this fituation ( in the w^ord )
as it is held forth in common to all, as the objed:
and ground of faith, at once rebels againfi: the
authority of God in the command, and gives the
lye to his faithfulnefs engaged in the promife, and
therefore, Let us fear, lejl, a promife being left of
entring into his rejl, any of its Jl:oidd cotne fiort of
it J for unto us is this gofpel preached, as well as to
them, Heb. iv. i, 2. '^dly. This promife is alfo
to be confidered as in the hand of faith, or as it is
applied and polTefiTed in a way of believing j and,
in this fituation, it is only peculiar to a behever
to have the Lord as his God ; becaufe it is only he
that has a faving intereft ; it is he only whofe

foul

382 A Treafure of GoJ pel-grace

foul hath faid unto the Lord, thou art my Lo?'d, upon
a covenant-ground.

2. I come to enquire, What may be the import
of this promife, or of this covenant-grant, that is
here laid as a foundation of faith unto Ifrael, and
unto the church in all fucceeding generations ?

Before I go on, I v^ould put you in mind of
what I faid already, viz. That this covenant-grant
or promife, goes upon the ground of a ranfom
found, and fatisfadlion paid unto juftice ; upon
which account only God's anger is turned away,
and he comforts us with fuch declarations of his
grace as this in my text, I am the Lord thy God,
In which words, I conceive, he promifes thefe three
or four things, not to multiply particulars; i.
The infinite God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft,
makes over himfelf by covenant, as the foul's por-
tion and inheritance for ever j and O what a vaft,
large and glorious inheritance is this ! O firs, when
God fays, / a?n the Lord thy God^ he fays more
than if he had faid, heaven is thine, earth is thine,
the glories of both are thine ! There is fomething
in this promife, that Eye hath not Jeen, nor ear
heard, nor hath it eiitred into the heart of man to
conceive. Sec. No wonder tho' David cryed out,
upon the views of the Lord's being the portion of
his cup, Pfalm xvi. 6. ^he lines are falkn to me in
plcafant places, I have a goodly hej'itage. O it is
a furpriiing armful the foul has, when by faith it
grafps an infinite God in this little v/ord, / am the
Lord thy God!

2. When he fays, I am the Lord thy God, he in
efFed fays, all that I have, I m.ake it over unto
you : and O ' when he makes a grant of himfelf
what elfe will he withhold r He that fpared not

his

digged out of mount Sinai. 383

hh 01V n So?!, but gave him to the death for us all,
how will he ?iot 'with him freely give 21s all things ?
Jloin. viii. 32. Has he life? Yea, he is the foun-
tain of life : Well, in this promife he gives life
unto thee ; becaiife I live, ye fiall live alfo. Has
he light in himfelf ? Yea, God is light, and with
him is no darknefs at all : Well, he fiall be thy ever-
lajling light, and thy God thy glory. Has he love?
Yea, God is love : Well, he who fays he is thy
God, will Jl:ed abroad his love upon thy heart by the
Holy Ghojl, and circwncife , thy heart to love him.
Has he honour ? Yea, his work is honourable ajid
glorious : Well, thou fhalt be preferred j if thou
take him as thy God, thou fhalt have a place
among them that ftand by about his throne. Has
he riches ? Yea, honour and riches are with me :
Well, he will Jill all thy treafures with gold better
than the gold of Ophir, Has he rivers of pie a^
fureSy and fidnefs of joy in his pre fence, and at his
right-hand'^ Well, the times of refrejlding fiall '
come forth from his prefence into thy foul.

3. When he fays, / am the Lord thy God, he
engages, that all the attributes and perfedions of
his glorious nature fliall jointly confpire and be
forthcoming for thy good. O ! firs, immediately
upon the breach of the firft covenant, all the at-
tributes of God put on an air of wrath and ven-
geance againft man ; hence Adam, after' he had
fnined, falls a trembling, and flees in among the
thickets of Paradife to hide himfelf: But O ! the
divine attributes, as they lliine in the face of our
I?7jj?ianuel, and are difplayed through his blood and
fatisfadtion, appear with an air of grace, love,
and pity, inviting linners to come and fhelter
themfelves under them, from the wrath and curfe
due to them for fin. So that, when God fays,

Ia?n

384 ATreafure of Gofpel-grace

I atn the Lord thy God, it is upon the matter, as
if he fliould fay, O impotent and helplefs linner,
come under my fhadow, take me as thy own
God, and my power fliall be employed to help
and proted thee. O foolifh and bewildred finner,
my wifdom (hall be thine to direcft and inflruft
thee. O polluted finner, who haft lien among the
fots, my holinefs fhall fandify thee, and make thee
like the wings of a dove, &c. O guilty finner, my
mercy fliall pardon thee ; yea, my juftice fhall
acquit thee, on the fcore of the ranfom that I
have found ; my goodnefs fhall fupply all thy
need, and my truth and faithfulnefs is impigno-
rated to accomplifh all the promifes unto thee j
Tny omnifcient eye fiall run to and fro through the
iJvhoJe earth to f.^ew myfef ftrojig on thy behalf. My
providence fliall be employed to manage all things
for thy good and advantage. I will 7'ide in the hea^
vens for thy help, and in mine excellency on thejkies.

(4.) / am the Lord thy God ; i. e. Whatever I
the infinite and eternal Cod can do for thy advan-
tage, it fhall not be wanting ; and O what can-
not the arm of omnipotency do ! he doth great
things, yea, wonders without number : what won-
ders has God wrought for his children and peo-^
pie, in all ages of the world ? It was he, that
laved Noah by water from perifliing in the flood 3
it was he, that made a lane for Ifracl th'oiigh the
deeps, as if it had been dry land : it was he, that
diflblved the flinty rocks into foods of water, fuf-
pended the fury of the devouring flames, and
flopt the courfe of the fun. His band is not Jljort-
7?ed, that it cannot fave : now, whatever that om-
nipotent arm, that f retched out the heavens, and
laid the foundations of the earth, can do for thy
falvation, it fhall not be wanting. All this, and

infinitely

digged out of mount Sinai. '^^c^

infinitely more, than I can name, is wrapt up in
the bofom of this covenant-grant, which is here
laid as the foundation and ground of our faith ; 1
n?n the Lord thy God, And thus much concerning
the promife. The

Second thing propofed was to fpeak a little of
the precept fubjoined, or annexed, unto this cove-
nant-promife, T^hou jhalt have no other gods before
7ne. And, in fpeaking to the precept, I fhall ob-
ferve the fame method, as in difcourfing upon the
promife. i. I fliall premife fome remarks. 2. En-
quire into its import.

( I ) I would offer fome remarks upon it ; As,
I . I remark. That, as the promife, / am the hord
thy God, is given forth by a God in Chriil j fo the
precept, in this fituation, mufl needs come from the
fame fountain. This law, or commandment, muft
be viewed as in the hand of a mediator, and not
of an abfolute God : the reafcn is plain, becaufe
the command obliges us to have him as our God,
to love and truft in hirn as our own God, which
a finner cannot do, but only as he is in Chriil.
Here the command ilands under a covenant of
grace, as is evident from the preface. Indeed, if
that glorious preface, or covenant-grant, I am the
Lord thy God, had not gone before the command,
we might have taken it as coming from an abfo-
lute God 3 but taking the precept in connedtion
with the preface, we muft needs take up the lav/
here as in the hand of a reconciled God in Chrifl,
and as coming from that glorious fountain : and
therefore let us fay, with the church, The Lord is
our king, the Lord is our judge^ the Lord is our law-
giver, and he 'will fave us.

(2.) This commandment of the law, Thou fialt
have no other gods before me, narrows and extends

C c its

386 A Treafure of Gof pel-grace

its obligation upon the children of men, in a fuit-
ablenefs to the revelation, that he makes of him-
felf. When God reveals himfelf only by the
works of creation and providence, as he doth to
the heathen world, then this commandment obliges
us to know and acknowledge him as a God Crea-
tor and Preferver ; but, when he fuperadds to
this the revelation of himfelf as a reconciled God,
a redeeming God in Chrift, then the law fuper-
adds a new obligation, namely to know and ac-
knowledge him as fuch, and to claim him as the
God of falvation^ afaving, pitying, pardoning God..
(3.) As the promife, lam the Lord thy God, is
the leading and fundamental blejjing promifed in
the covenant of grace, which draws all other blef-
lings along with it -, fo this precept, Thou flialt
have the Lord Jehovah as thy God, is the leading
and fundamental duty of the law, which fweetly
and powerfully conftrains the foul to obey all the
other commands of it. The reafon of this is
plain : when a perfon is determined to know and
acknowledge God as his own God in Chrift, it
binds and obliges him inevitably, not to bow down
to images, or to give that worfhip and glory to
any other, which is due to him alone : he will be
concerned to fan(5lify the name of God and his
holy fabbath, and, in a w^ord, to have a refpecft
unto all his commandments. Hence it is. That
faith in Chrift Jefus (which is juft the iirft com-
mandment in other words) is fo much inculcated
in the fcriptures, particularly, of the New Tefta-
ment : yea, we are exprefly told, that, Without
faith it is impojjibk to pleafe God-, and he that co7?ies
unto God, mujl believe that he is, and that he is a rc^
imrdcr of them that diligently feek him,

(4.) That

digged out of mou72t Sinai. 387

(4.) That the command and promife are of
equal extent, fo that every man that is bound to
obey the command, or to have a God in Chrift as
his own God, is concerned in this promife, / a?ii
the Loi'd thy God. Or in other w^ords, he is as
much obHged to believe this promife wdth appli-
cation, as he is obliged to obey the command.
The reafon of this is plain, becaufe a believing
the promife with application, is the very thing that
the firft commandment requires of us 5 and the
promife is the very ground and foundation of that
faith, that is required in the command 3 and the
foundation of faith mufl be as extenfive as the
command of believing, unlefs we would fay that
God commands man to believe, without giving
them a foundation to believe upon : fo that, if I
be obliged to have the Lord as my God, then it
is lawful, yea, plain duty for me, viewing the
covenant-grant, to fay to the Lord, thou art my
Lord.

(5.) As the promife is indefinite, I af?i the Lord
thy God J without mentioning any, or including
any, but pointing to every man in particular ; fo
the precept is indefinite. Thou fiat have no other
gods before me, without mentioning any particular
perfon to whom it extends. And I think it is ob-
fervable, that both the promife and precept are in
the fingular number, as if God fpoke to dvery in-
dividual, and I do think, that infinite wifdom has
fo ordered it of defign, that no man might neg-
led: the promife, that thinks himfelf bound to
obey the precept. The legal heart of man is ready
to fall in with this command of the law, and own
its obligation ; while, in the mean time, it rejecfls
the promife, as a thing it has no concern in.
What more ordinary, than to hear fome, elpeci-

C c 2 ally

388 A Treaftire of Gofpel-grace

ally under awakings of confcience by the law, fay,
O 'tis a fad truth indeed, that I am a debtor to the
law, and obliged to obey it! But, as for the pro-
mife of God, / am the Lord thy God, I have no in-
terefl or concern in it. But, lirs, whatever you
may imagine, I tell you, that, by this way, you
are feparating what God has joined : he has joined
the command and the promife together 5 therefore
let not your unbelieving hearts, or legal fpirits, put
them afunder : for you can never obey the firfl;
command without doling with this promife, / mn
the Lord thy God. But more of this afterward.

2. I come to enquire what is included, or requir-
ed, of us in this command of the moral law, ^hoic
fnalt have no other gods before me. I don't defign to
launch out in opening of this precept in its greateft
latitude, or in telling you of all the duties required,
and lins forbidden, in it : that, which I have ef-
pecially in my view, is the obligation that it lays
upon us to receive and believe the promife, I am
the Lord thy God : and, for clearing of this, there
are only thefe few things I name, as included in
this commandment : i/?. This commandment ob-
liges us to believe, that God is, which is the firll
and fundamental truth both of natural and revealed
religion 5 and, except you be ftabliilied in the faith
of this, you believe nothing to the purpofe. We
cannot open our eyes, or look upon any of the
creatures of God, whether in the heavens above,
or in the earth beneath, but this truth muft fhine
into our minds with fuch a glaring evidence, that
one would think, there were no need of a command
to oblige us to believe it. 2dlv, This command
obliges us to believe, that he is fuch a God, as he
has revealed himfelf to be in his word and in his
works i it binds us to believe all the difplays, that

digged out of mount Sinai. 389

he has given of his eternal power and godhead,
in his works of creation and providence ; but ef-
pecially us, who enjoy the revelation of his word,
to believe every thing that he has revealed of him-
felf there ; as, That he is a fpirit, infinite, eternal,
unchangeable, &c. That he is but one God in
three perfons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, the
farne in fubftance, equal in power and glory : that
from eternity he decreed all things that come to
pafs in time : That he is the great creator, that made
all things of nothing, by the word of his power,
in the fpace of fix days, and all very good : That,
by his providence, he preferves and governs all
his creatures, and all their ad:ions: and, that this
great God, in thtfuhiefs of time^ was manifejied in
the JleJJj in the perfon of his eternal Son, and be-
came a Redeemer and Saviour of loft finners :
That he was made under the law^ to redeem thejn
that were under the law, thtit we might receinje the
adoption of fo?is. And, in a word, every other
thing, that God has revealed of himfelf. 3^/r,
This commandment requires us to believe and be
perfuaded, that this glorious God is the chief
good of the rational foul : That, as his glory is to
be our ultimate end, fo our chief happlnefs lies in
the enjoyment of him alone j Thou Jhalt have no
other gods before me, i. e. Thou flialt place thy
chief happinefs in the enjoyment of me, who am
the Lord thy God : fo that, wdien God commands
us to have him as our God, he commands us to
be happy for ever in himfelf, and to fay, with
David, Whofn have I in heaven but thee ? And there
is none in all the ILarth whom I defire be/ides thee,
^thly. This command requires us to a&nt unto
every word God fpcaks, as a truth of infallible ve^
rity, and unto die truth of this promife in particu-

C c 3 lar J

390 ^ Treafure of Gof pel-grace

liv ; that he fpeaks the truth in his heart, when
he fays J / am the Lord thy God: And therefore,
not to beheve that it is, as God fays in this pro-
mife, is to call God a liar j 'tis an impeaching of
his veracity in the promife, and a contempt of his
authority interpofed in the command : from whence
it appears, that an unbeliever breaks the very firfl
command of the law of nature. S^%-> This com-
mand requires us, not only to believe the truth of
the promife in general, but to believe it with par-
ticular application of it, each one of us unto our-
felves. It is not a fulfilling of the contents of this
command, to believe that he was the God of If-
rdely or the God of the vifible church, or the God
of the eled:, or of all that believe in him j for all
this do the devils and reprobates believe : but we
muft believe, know and acknowledge, that he is
ciir God J and every one for himfelf mufh fay, in
faith, with If?' ad, He is my God, I will prepa7'e him
a habitation. The firft command requires of us a
faith exadlly correfponding unto the promife : nov/,
the promife is to every one in particular, / am the
Lord thy God-, and the command runs parallel with
it, pointing out every man in particular, 'Thoufialt
have no other gods before me : and therefore it is a
particular applying faith, that is here required and
called for. Perhaps this may appear fomewhat
furprifing to thefe, who never coniidered it, that,
by the firft commandment, they are obliged to
believe, that the Lord is their God by covenant-
grant and promife : they believe that he is their
creator, and preferver, and benefactor j but they
never thought, that he v/as their God by covenant-
grant, or that they were bound to believe it with
application, till once they found themfelves fo
and fo qualified. To take down this fortrefs of

. un-

digged out of motmt Sinai. 391

unbelief, I would only have you coniider, (i.)
If ever there was a time, iince you had a being,,
and had the law of God intimate unto you,
wherein you was free from the obligation of the
firfl command of the moral law, «as it here ftands
conned:ed with the covenant or the promife ? No,
furely ; and if fo, there was never a time wherein
you was not obliged to believe, know, and acknovv^-
ledge the Lord as your God, upon the ground of
the covenant -grant; and all the time you have neg-
ledled to do fo, you have been living in difobedience
to the firft command i and while the firft com-
mand is not obeyed, which is the foundation of
all the refl, not one of them can be obeyed. And
I only leave it to yourfelves to be confidered, whe-
ther you may lawfully live in difobedience to the
iirft command of the law of the great God, or
fufpend your obedience thereunto, till you find
qualifications in yourfelves, upon which you think
may lay claim to him in a way of fenfe. This
is not to ground your faith upon the veracity of
God in his promife, but to feek a ground for your
faith within you. (2.) However furprizing this
way of teaching may appear from the firfl com-
mandment, yet it is nothing elfe than what you
are taught in your leller received and approved
catechifms. The firfl command requires us to
know and acknowledge the Lord as God and our
God^ and to worfliip and glorify him accordingly.
(3.) I find God requiring faith of finners, and of
notorious backfliders, in the fam.e terms as is here
called for, Jer. iii. 4. compared with verfe i. If
we notice the ifl verfe, and the two following, we
fliall find, that God is there dealing with a compa-
ny of people, who had made defedion into idola-
try J and he charges them with a perfidious and
C c 4 trea-

392 A Treafure of Gofpel-grace

treacherous dealing with him, under the notion
of an adulterefs, that had forfaken the guide of her
■■ yciithy and proftituted herfelf unto other lovers :
however, infinite love opens up its bowels of pity,
fends out a found* of grace and love to them, fay-
ing in tiie clofe of 'verfe i. though thou ha/i played
the harlot with many lovers, yet return again unto
me, faith theJL,ofd, Well, what is the return, fo-
vercign grace expefts from them, after fuch a dif-
covery of his readinefs to receive them ? See it,
vcrfe 4. Wilt thou not from this time call me. My
Father ^ thou art the guide of 7ny youth, i. e. Wilt
thou not from this time obey the firft command-
ment of my law, gnd know and acknowledge
me, and me only, as thy God and Father in
ChrifL? (4.) I find, that, whenever a finful peo-
ple begins to aft faith, their faith, even the firft
receptive ad: of faith, is exprefi^ed in v/ords, which
bear a plain obedience unto what is required in the
firfl: commandment 5 as in the cafe of thefe, fer.
iii. Whenever the call of the word is carried
home by the efficacy of the fpirit upon their
hearts, they cry out, verfe 23. Behold iL^e come U7u
to thee, for thou art the Lord our God ; whereby
tliey acknowledge him as their God, even their
oii-n God. So Zcch. xiii. 9. And I find the
faints of God in fcripture, when in the exer-
cife of faith, ftill yielding obedience to this firfi:
command of the law, and coming in with their
appropriating My, Pfdm xvi. 2. O my foul, thou
hajl faid unto the Lord, thou art my Lord. With
^vhat pleafure does David obey this command,
pfalm xviii. i. where, eight or nine times he re-
peats his claim, acknowledging God, as God, and
liis own God ? And unbelieving Ihomas, fo foon
as he gets hi? foot upon the neck of his unbelief,

obeys

digged out of mount Sinai. 393

obeys this command, making a folemn acknow-
ledgment of Chrift, My Lord, and my God.

Unto all this, I fhall only add, to prevent mis-
takes, that, when the firft commandment requires
us to know and acknowledge God ms our God^ it is
not to be underflood, as if this were done by a
faying it with tlie mouth only ; no, no. With the
heart man believes unto righteoiijnefs : , we read of
fome that remcmhred God as their rock, and the
High God as their Redeemer ; but, they lied unto
him with their lips, they flattered him with their
month, for their heart was not right with him : they
did not acknowledge him as their God with their
hearts, acquiefcing in him as their chief good and
only portion ; and therefore God rejeds all their
profeffion of kindnefs. Let us then embrace and
acknowledge him as our God, with our hearts,
lips, and lives, worfhipping, glorifying, and ferving
him, as our God, all the days of our appointed
time. The

Third thing propofed, was tofpeak a little of the
connection betwixt the promife and the precept.
That there is a conned;ion between them is plain ;
for the promife is repeated in the command, and
the meaning is. Thou floalt have no other gods before
7ne, who engage myfelf by covenant to be the Lord
thy God : how fweetly is the law and gofpel con-
nected here ! how fweetly does the law ftand in
a fubferviency unto the glorious defigns of grace !

I would have you carefully obferve, as to this
order and connection, that it is fuited unto the
circumftances of the lofl finner, or of fallen man,
who has nothing, and can do nothing, but is
wretched, jniferable, poor, and blind, and naked.
Becaufe man can now do nothing for his life,
therefore God will give him life anci glory

for

394 -^ Treafure of Gofp el-grace

for nothing at all : and, as a teftlmony of his
having got all freely from God, he will have him
to obey. It is an order and method fuited to
God's great defign, of debafing man, flaining his
pride, and of exalting the glorious freedom and
riches of his grace : Where is boafiing ? fays the
apoftle ; it is excluded. By 'what lawf of works?
na\\ hut by the law of faith. The \iw of faitii is
juil the free promife ^ I am the Lord thy God-, I
will be to them a father, &c. Nov^, by this law,
and not by the way of works, felf is abafed, and
the glory of free grace exalted.

I fhall only add, as to this connection and order,
that God, like a wife builder, firfl: lays the foun-
dation of faith in the promife, faying, / ajji the
Lord thy God -, and then enjoins the duty of belie-
ving : , he firfl reveals the obje(5l of faith, and then
lays on the duty of faith : he firft makes a grant of
grace, and then warrants us by his command to
lay hold on it. The promife is a plaifler or me-
dicine, and the command orders the application
or ufe-making of it : the promife is the door of
falvation opened, and the command enjoins us to
enter in by that door j the promife is the tefta-
ment, and the command is the judge's order and
warrant to make ufe of the goods without fear of
vitious intromifiion j the promife gives us a right
of accefs ; the command, when obeyed and com-
plied with, gives a right of poiTeffion. By the
grant of the covenant, God manifefts his free and
fovereign grace ; and by the command he mani-
fefts his royal authority, which he makes fubfer-
vient unto his glorious defign of grace. And fo
much fhall fervc for clearino- the order and con-
nedion betv/ccn thej promife, / am the Lord thy

God',

digged out of mount Sinai. 395

God\ and the precept, Thou Jl^alt have no othe
Gods before me.

The fourth general head was the appUcatlon.
And the iirft ufe fliall be comprifed in thefe in-
ferences ;

I/?, From what has been faid, we may fee, that
Chrift our glorious redeemer is none other tlian the
fupreme, felf-exiftent and independent God. Who
ever doubted, as was hinted before, but it was the fu-
preme God, the great law-giver of heaven and earth,
who fpoke all thefe words, faying, / am the Lord
. thy God ; Thou jlmlt have no other gods before me ?
&c. Whofoever reads or hears thefe words with
opened eyes, or underftanding hearts, cannot fliun
to cry out, It is the voice of God and not of man -,
yea, the voice of the fupreme, felf-exiftent God,
and not of any inferior or dependent being ; the
voice of him, whofe prerogative alone it is to be
Lord of the confcience, and to fearch the heart
ajid the reins j for thefe words are quick and pow-
erful^ piercing to the dividing afimder foul and
fpirit, of the joints and marrow, and dijcern the
thoughts and intejtts of the, heart. As all the works,
fo all the words of God, carry the flamp and evi-
dence of their glorious author in their bofom.
And, are we not immediately ftruck with the im-
preflions of the fupreme, felf-exiflent being, when
thefe words are uttered, / am the Lord thy God? &c.
Had MofeSy or the children of Ifrael, when they
ftood quaking and trembling at the foot of the
mount, any notions of a dependent deity fpeaking
to them ? No, they knew and believed, that it
was he whofe name alone is J E HO VA H,
moft high over all the earth. Yet, as was cleared
already, this was Chrifl the eternal Son of God ;
and therefore he mufl needs be the fupreme God,

the

39^ ATreafure of Gofpel-grace

the fame in fubftance, equal in power and glory
with his Father. It is the moft daring prefump-
tion, the moft confummate ingratitude, for any of
Adanis race, efpecially for any profefTed Chriftian,
bearing his blefled name, and wearing his livery,
to lefTen his glory, and derogate from his excel-
lency ; as if, when he is called the fupreme God,
it were to be underftood ami gram Jalis^ with
grains of allowance or abatement. I am perfuaded,
there was not an Arian at the foot of Sinai
among all the many thoufands of Ifrael : and, were
thefe words to be repeated by the Son of God
with the fame awful folemnity among us, I am
very fure, there would not be one Arian among us
ieither. What pity is it, that the refentment of
our Redeemer's quarrel, againft a notorious blaf-
phemer of his fupreme Deity, has not run deeper,
than it has done of late, in the fupreme judicatory
of this national church, whofe peculiar province
it has been, in former times, to contend for the roy-
alties of his crown againft thefe who attempted to
invade them ?

idly^ From what has been faid, we may fee
the miftake of thofe who aflert, that faith in
Chrift is a new precept of the gofpel, not requi-
red in the moral law, but by a nev/ pofitive law,
given forth under the gofpel. None, I fuppofe,
will deny, that the law required faith in a God
Creator from our firft parents in innocency ; and,
if fo, what need of any new law, to bind and
oblige us, to believe in tlie fame God, revealing
himfelf in the capacity of a Redeemer ? We
have already obferved from the text, how fweet-
ly the old law of nature is grafted in, in a fubfer-
viency unto the grace of the new covenant, obli-
ging us to know and acknov/ledge a God in

Chrifi,

digged oitt of mount Sinai. 397

Chrlil, as our oWji God, upon the footing of
this glorious grant c\f grace, / am the Lord thy
God, The applying 6r appropriating ad: of faith,
when it is exprefled in words, comes forth car-
rying the ftamp of obedience to what the firft
commandment of the moral law requires. What
need then of any new pofitive law to injoin it?
The fame law, that bound Adam before the fall,
to believe the promife of life, upon the footing of
perfed: obedience, bound him to believe the pro-
mife of life, after the fall, upon the footing of
the incarnation and fatisfadion of the Son of
God : and therefore, when the iirfl promife of
the feed of the woman is uttered, Gett. iii. i^.
we read of no new law enjoining him to believe
it J the very light of nature told our firft pa-
rents, that a promife, efpecially the promife of
God was to be believed.

3^/)', See hence the necefiity, excellency, and
warrantablenefs of the great duty of believing,
which we minifters are fo much preffing upon
you who are hearers. It muft needs be the moil
neceffary and excellent duty, which God enjoins
in the firft precept of his law, and which he
has laid as the very fpring and foundation of obe-
dience to all the other precepts, namely, to re-
ceive him and to acknowledge him as our own
God in Chrift, and him alone ; and to reft in
him, and upon him, as our upmaking and ever-
lafting all. Hence, Johft vi. 28, 29. when the
Jews were fond to know what they ftiould do,
to work the work of God, he direds them to
faith in himfelf ; becaufe this was the firft thing
that the law required, as it ftood under a covenant
'of grace -, This is the work of God, (his work in
a way of eminence 3 the verv firft and fundamen-
tal

398 A Treafure of Gofp el-grace

tal work, and the fpring and foul of all obedi-
ence) that ye believe m him, ivhcm he hath fenf.
For this reafon, true obedience to the law is call-
ed the obedience of faith : and we are told, Heb,
xi. 6. That "without faith it is impofjible to pleafe
God-y and. Whatever is not of faith is fin, Rom.
xiv. 23. becaufe, until this iirft command of the
law be obeyed, till we receive, embrace, and ac-
knowledge the Lord, as our God in Chrift, we
do nothing at all in obedience to Cod's law, but
break it every moment of our life. Again, as I
faid, we fee here alfo the warrantablenefs of be-
lieving in Chrift, and of embracing the promife.
It is as warrantable for a loft fmner to embrace
the promife, and to receive Chrift by virtue of the
promife, as to do any other thing that the law re-
quires. Will any man doubt his warrant to ho-
nour and reverence the name of God, to honour
his father and mother, to fandrify the fabbath ?
^c. As little reafon has he to doubt his warrant,
by faith, to lay claim to this glorious grant of fo-
vereign grace through Chrift, / a7n the Lord thy
God; feeing this is the very thing, that is required
in this command, Thou JJ:alt have no other gods
before ?ne. And, as this command is a noble war-
rant for believing, fo it is a warrant of univerfal
extent : none, who own the obligation of the mo-
ral law, can ftiift the obligation of its very iirft
command. This view of matters, if talcen up in
the light of the fpirit, ferves to overthrow one of
the principal ftrong holds of unbelief, and, at the
fame time, difcovers a ground of believing with
boldnefs, without any manner of prefumption.
The unbelieving deceitful heart turns us away
from the living God, by telling us, that we are
not warranted to believe in Chrift, and that it is

arrogancy

digged out of mount Sinai. 399

arrogancy and prefumption for us to intermeddle
with the promife. But fo far is this furmife from
being truth, that, unlefs you believe in Chrifl,
or, which is all one, except you acknowledge a
God in Chrifl, as your God, you make God a
lyar, who fays, I am the Lord thy God, and rebel
againfl his authority interpofed in his firft com-
mandment, 'Thou jhalt have no other gods before me,

\th hif. See hence a folid ground for the aim-
rance of faith. Why, it has the nobleft ground
in the world to go upon, namely, the infallible
word of a God of truth, faying, / am the Lord
thy God-, and the beft warrant in the world, name-
ly, the firfl commandment of the law, requiring
us to know and acknowledge him as our God. The
firfl command requires a perfuafion of the pro-
mife, with application, or appropriation of it, to
the foul in particular : and, what is it but the afTu-
rance of faith? And no doubt the law requires
every duty, and particularly this of faith, in its
perfediion ; the confideration of which, may make
every one of us, yea, even the beft believer up-
on earth, to cry out, with the poor man in the
gofpel, / believe J Lord, help my unbelief-, and, with
the difciples, Lord, increafe our faith,

^th Inf. See hence the proper bottom of true
chriflian morality, and an excellent tefl whereby
to diflinguifh betwixt gofpel and legal preaching.
You fee here, upon v/hat foundation, God him-
felf inculcates the duties of the moral law : he
firfl difcovers himfelf as a reconciled God, a pro-
mifing God in Chrifl, faying, / am the Lord thy
God; and, upon this ground, urges the duties of
the law. Now, the order of docftrine obferved
by God himfelf ought certainly to be obferved by.
us, in our inculcatii'ig any duty of the law upon

our

400 A Treafure of Gofpel-grace

our hearers ; and, if this method be not obfervedy
it is certainly legal. Neither do I think, that it
is enough, when we are preffing any duty of the
law, to come in with a direction or advice at the
end, telling that all is to be done in the ftrength
of Chrifl: : we fee here, that God begins his fer-
mon of morality to IJrael, from mount Smai, with
a revelation of himfelf, as the Lord God gracious
and merciful through Chrift, I am the Lord thy
God -y and lays this as the foundation of obedi-
ence to the following precepts. And I do think,
that we, who are minifters, when we inculcate the
duties of the law upon people, ought always,
to keep the grace of the new covenant in their
eye j for, unlefs obedience to the law be influ-
enced with this view, it cannot be the obedience
of faith, and confequently cannot be acceptable -,
Without faith it is ivipojjibk to pkafe God. It is
obfervable, that God, in the promulgation of the
law to IJraelj frequently intermixes the grace of
the new covenant with the precepts of the law,
and every now and then cafts it in their view, that
he was the Lord their God in Chrifl : fo in the
fecond command, 'Thoic fialt not make imto thee
any gj^a^oeii image ^ &c. for I the Lord thy God am
a jealous God, &;c. fiewrng mercy unto thoufands of
thetn that love me^ and keep my commandments. So
in the third commandment, T'hcu f:alt not take the
name of the Lord thy God in vain, &c. So in the
fourth. The feventh day is the fabhath of the Lord
thy God, biCQ. So likewife in the fifth. Honour thy
father and thy mother, that thy days 7nay he long upon
the land, which the Lord thy Godgi^ceth thee. Thus,
I fay, he makes gofpel-grace, like a thread of
gold, to run through the duties of the law, where-

^^SS^^ ^^^ ^f ^^^^^^^ Sinai. 401
by the whole law is fweetened and beautified, his
yoke made eafy, and his burden light.

Upon the other hand, there is an error, I fear,
too common among fome. Whenever they hear
a minifler preffing duty, immediately they con-
clude him to be a legal preacher, without ever
confidering upon what ground he doth it : for, if
he prefs the duties of the law upon the ground of
covenanted grace, he adls according to his com-
miflion, and keeps the order and method, that
God has laid ; but, if this method be not follow-
ed, if the duties of the law be urged as the foun-
dation of our claim to the privileges of the gof-
pel, or without keeping Chrift and the grace of
the gofpel in the eye of the finner, as the founda-
tion of duty, you may indeed conclude, that it
is legal. Although what the man fays, may be
truth, abflradtedly confidered, yet the truth is not
delivered in its due order and connexion, and there-
fore has a tendency to miflead the hearer, at leaii:
to lead him into perplexing exercifes.

6th Inf. See hence the truth of what the apoille
afferts concerning God, i yoh?2 iv. 16. God is hnje.
Why? The promife here, is a promife of love.
What more can infinite love fay than what is here
faid ? / am the Lord thy God. What can he give
more than himfelf ? And, as the promife is a pro-
mife of love, fo the precept is a precept of love,
^hou JJjalt have no other gods before ine. He firft
makes a free grant and gift of himfelf to us in his
covenant, and then concludes us under a law of
love, whereby he m.akes it the firft and funda-
mental duty of obedience to him, that we fliall
knov/ and acknowledge him as our oiDn God \ or,
in other words, that \vc fhould be happy for ever
in the enjoyment of hirn. The moft confummate

D 4 happinefs

402 A Treafure of Gof pel-grace

happinefs of the rational creature lies in what God
here commands, 'uiz. in having him and none
other, as our God. O how excellent is his loving-
kindnefs ! Surely God is love, it is the regnant
perfedion of his nature ; and O how reafonable is
it that we ihould love the Lord O UR GOD
with all the heart, foul, ftrength, and mind ! And
O how unreafonable is the enmity of the heart
againfl God ! Do we thus requite a God of love?
Well may the Lord fay to us, as he did to If-
raelj O my people, what have I done unto thee F
Wherein have I wearied thee f 'Tejiify agairji me.

yth Inf. See hence what it is that makes the
yoke of obedience eafy, and the burden thereof
light to a believer. Whence is it, that the belie-
ver delights in the law after the inward man ? Why
doth he rejoice to work righteoufnefs ? Why? he
remembers God in his ways ; he remembers, that
the law-giver is none other than the Lord his God
and Redeemer, and therefore he keeps all his com-
mandments with pleafure : therefore he runs, and
doth not weary, walks, and doth not faint. He
views God, not as an enemy, not as an avenging
judge, but as his own God in Chrifl ; he views
him in Immamiel, as a God with him, not a God
againfl him : and this is like oil to his chariot-
wheels, which makes him run without wearying.
On the other hand, we may fee here, what it is
that makes the duties of the law an infuportable
yoke, and burden, to hypocrites and chriftlefs pro-
feffors, who tire in the duties of obedience, be-
fore they be well fet out ; why ? they do not be-
o-in their obedience where God begins his law, or
they do not fet their obedience upon the fame
foundation of gofpel-grace, that God has fet his
law upon : they do not begin, with acting faith on

the-

digged out of 77iou?^t Sinai. 403

the covenant, or with receiving a God in Chrift, as
their God, by virtue of the covenant-grant and
promife ; and if people do not begin here, w^here
God begins, their blolToms cannot mifs to whither,
and come to nought.

%th Inf. See hence the errors of thofe, who ima-
gine, , that it was a covenant of works which God
entred into with Ifrael^ at mount Sinai. Indeed, if
the promife h^ad followed after the command-
ments of the law j and if God had faid. Keep
theje Commandments^ and^ upon your Jo doings I will
be the Lord ycur God 5 in this cafe, it had been a
pure covenant of works : whether perfedl, or fin-
cere, obedience had been the condition, it is all
one : flill the reward would have been in a way of
pactional debt as in the firft covenant : but, as
you heard, the order of the covenant of works,
or the connection betwixt the precept and pro-
mife, as it was laid in that covenant, is now in-
verted. For now, God firil promifes, in a way
of fovereign grace, to be the Lord our God and
Redeemer^ which is the fubilance and fum of the
new covenant, and, having made fuch a grant of
grace, to be received by faith, without, or before,
any works of obedience can be performed by us,
he immediately fubjoins the law of nature in ten
words, ihowing us, what is good^ and what the
Lord our God requires of us, not as a condition of
his own gracious grant, but as a tefcimony of our
love and gratitude to him, who promifes, of his
own free and fovereign grace, to be the Lord our
God. So that, I fay, it was God's covenant of
grace, that v/as promulgated at mount Sinai, and
the law v/as added to it becaufe of tranfgreffion,
and grafted upon it as a rule of obedience. And
whatever covenants, or engagements to duty, we

D d 2 read

404- ^ Treafure of Gofpel-grace

read of, whether national or perjhnal^ ftill they
went upon the foundation of grace, laid in God's
covenant of grace ; and in fo far as Ijrael^ or any
elfe, go off from this foundation, in their engage-
ments to duty, in fo far as they pervert the defign
of the promife and law annexed to it, and turn
back to a covenant of works. So much for in-
formation.

A fecond iife fhall be of tryal. And that which
I would have you to try is. Whether you, ever
to this day, obeyed the firft commandment of the
moral law ? Did you ever tafte or receive 'Jeho-
^'ah, a God in Chrift, as your own God, by vir-
tue of the covenant promife, / am the Lord your
God? Why, may fome be ready to fay, that
is a Grange queilion ; ever lince we had the exer-
cife of reafon, or could repeat the firft command-
ment, we have been endeavouring to know and
acknowledge God, to be the only true God, and
our God, and to worfliip and glorify him accord-
ingly. I confefs it is an eafy matter to fay this
with the mouth ; but, the queftion is, if the heart
has faid it in a way of believing, fetting to the feal
to the veracity of the promifer ? With the hearty
man believes unto right eoufnefs, and liith the mouth,
cojjfeffion is made unto fahation, Rom. x. 10. Firft
the heart believes it, becaufe God has faid it 3 and
then the tongue follows the heart. Canft thou
turn inv.^ard, and entertain thyfelf with David's
foliloquy, Pfalm xvi. 2. O my foul thou haji faid
unto the Lord, thou art my Lord ?

In order to a difcovery of the hypocrite or pre-
fumptuous believer, here I would have it careful-
ly obferved, that the iirft commandment, which
is the correlate of the promife, has both a pofitive
iind a negative part : the pofitive part is, io knew

and

digged out of mount Sinai. 405

and acknowledge the Lordj as the only true Gcd, and
our God', the negative part is, to have no other gods
before him. Now, the hypocrite or prefumptuous
perfon, altho' he outwardly profefles to obey the
poiitive part, or to acknowledge Jehovah as his
God in Chrift ; yet, as he never doth this really
with his heart, lb he fliifts the negative part of the
precept, for fecretly he worfliips and acknow-
ledges fome other God : there is ftill fome idol of
jealoufy lies hid among the rotten fbuff of his de-
praved heart, which gets God's room and God's
throne in his foul ; much like the people tranf-
planted by the King of AJJyria into Samria 5 con-
cerning whom it is faid, 2 Ki?jgs xvii. 33. They
feared the Lord, a?2d ferved their own gods. And
therefore, I fay, ftill the queftion remains to be
anfwered. Do you really and from the heart obey
the firft commandment? Have you any other
Gods before him, who fays, I am the Lord thy
God f Is their any idol, or luft, that gets the Lord's
place in thy heart ?

I fhall, for your tryal, take notice of fome
idols or falfe gods, which are worfhipped and
ferved by many, while they profefs to have no
other God but fehovah alone : only, before I pro-
ceed, I would, have it confidered, that there is a
tv/ofold idolatry ; one grofs and corporeal, when,
by the external actions of the body, fuch as
bowing, proftration, or the like, men do ho-
mage unto ftocks or ftones, dead and dumb idols,
I hope, r have none fuch to do with at prefent.
But there is a more refined and fpiritual idola-
try, which I fear, is more common in the vifible
church, than many are aware of 5 and that is,
when the a^Tts of the heart and mind, fuch as,
truft-, love, hope, fear, joy, delight, cjefire, wh^v^-

D d 3 in

40 6 A Treafure of Goffel-grace

in the effence of foul-worfliip doth confift, are
alienated from God, and placed upon any thing
befides him. In fuch a cafe, one neither believes
the promife, nor obeys the precept, now before us.
Why ? Becaufe, whatever he pretends, yet ftill,
he hath fome other god, before him, who is the
only living and true God.

This premifed, I would have you confider, that
there are two grand idols worf hipped and ferved
by the generality of the world, yea, of the vifible
church, viz. Jelf and the world.

FirJ}^ I fay, felf is the great Diana^ which all
the world worlhippeth, excepting a very few,
whom God hath called out of the v/orld. Every
man, while in a natural ftate, makes a god of
himfelf. Hence it is, that the principal batteries
of the gofpel are m.ounted againft this idol. The
very firil; leflbn in the fchool of chriftianity, which
is materially the fame with the firfl; precept of the
moral law, is, Let a man deny himfelf-, let him
renounce felf as his god, that he may have no
other gods before me, who am God manifefled in
the flefh.

This idol of felf is pregnant with a numerous
brood of lelTer or fubordinate idols : forne make a
god of their underftanding j for vain man would
be wife, though he be -born as the wild alTes
colt. What curfed pride is it in fome, even
in our own bowels, that they will needs exalt
their own depraved reafon above the wifdom of
God ? making it the ftandard of revelation ; as
if nothing were to be received or believed, but
what corrupted reafon, which is nonpluft by the
leaft work of nature, is able to comprehend. Is
not this a giving that glory to our own under-
ilanding, which is due unto an iniinitely wife

God?

digged out of mount Sinai. 407

God ? If ever we be believers indeed, reafon muft
quit the throne, and lye down at the foot of faith,
owning that reafon is but folly before the wifdom
of God, revealed in his word. Others idolize their
own underftandings, when, inwardly, they difap-
prove of God's providential difpenfations, as if they
could manage things more to advantage, if the reins
of adminiflration were in their hands.

Some make a god of their wills. When a per-
fon follows the fwing of his own corrupted and
rebellious will, in oppofition to the commanding
will of God in his word j what elfe is that but to
exalt felf-v/ill above the will of God ? It is the
will of God, that men fhould read and hear his
word, attend his courts, wait upon his ordinances,
fand:ify his name, keep his fabbath, that they
fliould forego fuch a luft, that they fliould pluck
out a right-eye, and cut oif a right-hand fin, in
obedience to him, who is the Lord our God. No,
fays the rebellious depraved will, / ha've loved
fir angers^ and after them I will go. Who is the AU
mighty^ that Ifiould ferve him ? And what profit is
it if I pray unto him ^ Let him depart^ for I defire
not the knowledge of his ways-, I know not the
Lord, neither will I let my iufts go.

Will any man practically treat God after this
manner, and yet pretend that he obeys this com-
mand, T'hoii fidalt have no other gods before me ? No;
his own will is his god, and therefore he never yet
clofed by a true faith with this covenant- grant, /
cm the Lord thy God.

Some again make a god of their righteoufnefs,
putting it in the room of him who is fchovah our
righteoufnefs ; like the fews^ Rom. x. 3. who.
Being ignorant of God's right eoufnefs^ and going a^
bout to efiablifid their own righteoufnefs^ woidd not fub^

D d 4 mit

4o8 Atreafure of Gof pel-grace

mit thejnfehes to the rigJofeciifaefs of God. This is
the idol, which, of all others, it is the hardeft to pull
out of the linner's embraces : and the reafon is,
becaufe felf-righteoufnefs is a thing, which feems to
have the countenance of the law of God. And,
while a man has the law on his fide, he thinks
himfelf in fafety, and that he has the approbation
of the lawgiver. God, / tha?ik thee I am not as
other men^ faid the felf-righteous Pharifee. It is
harder to convince this man of his dangerous ftate,
than to convince an hundred profane wretches of
their danger. Hence Chrift fays to the felf-righ-
teous Pharifees ; Publicajis and Harlots JI:aU enter in-
to the kingdom of God before you. I fhall only fay
to you, who are hugging this idol of your own
law -right eotiJ?iefs in your bofoms, you fliall as furely
perifh in your righteoufnefs, as ever any of Adam\
race perifhed in their fins. Why ? becaufe God
has faid. That by the works of the law, no fefi li-
ving fall be jujlifed j and, As ma?iy as are of the
works of the law, are under the curfe. You are
pretending to keep the law, and feeking righteouf-
nefs by the law ; and yet are living in the negle<ft
and contempt of the firil and greateft command
in the whole law, 'Thou fait have no other gods be-
fore me. You never yet difcarded the idol of felf,
and therefore never learned that firft leiTon of re-
ligion ; If any man will be my difciple, let him de.",
ny hijnfelf Sec.

Secofidly, Another grand idol to which the
greateft multitude do bow, is the world. Solomon
tells us of fome, who have the world fet in their
heart. Ever fince the fall of Adam, the world
and vanities thereof have ufurped that room in the
heart of man, which is due unto God only ; and
nothing lefs than infinite power can unhinge the

world

digged out of mount Sinai. 409

world from that feat, which it has got in our hearts.
Hence it is, that, until a day of power come, we
are ever making a god of one thing or another, in
this vifible perifhing world.

Some make a god of their worldly riches and
fubftance. This is done when the defire, delight,
and efteem of the foul terminate more upon thefe,
than upon God, who is the chief good. O who
willfiew lis any good^ is the cry of many ? But few
fay, with Davidy Lord lift thou up the light of thy
countenance upon us. One thing have I defred of the
Lord, and that will I feek after, that I -may behold
the beauty of the Lord, &c. The covetous world-
ling fees more beauty in gathering duft, than he
fees in him, who is the brightnefs of the Father's
glory, and is more concerned to get and keep xh&
Majnmon of this world, than how to be interefted
in the unfearchable riches of Chrifl, or to lay up
for himfeif treafures in heaven, which moth and
ruft do not corrupt. And, will fuch a man pre-
tend, that he keeps the firfl commandment, or
hath no other gods before the Lord ?

Some make a god of their worldly relations.
The hufband may idolize his wife, the wife her
huiband, parents their children, and children their
parents, by giving more -of their affedlion to them
than unto God himfeif. Upon this account Chrift
tell us. If we love father or mother, brother or fijler
more than him, we are not worthy of him. When we
delight more in the focieties of our friends and re-
lations, than in fellow/hip with God ; or are more
impatient of their abfence, than we are under
God's hidings and withdrawings from our fouls :
in that cafe, we put them in God's room, and fo
break his command. Thou fialt have no other gods
before me ; and alfo fin againil the love and grace

41 o ATreafure of G of pel-grace

of his covenant, where he fays / a?n the Lord thy
God. Of this kind of idolatry they are guilty,
who value themfelves more upon their relation to,
or defcent from, fuch and fuch families or an-
ceftors, than upon their relation to God, or thefe
who are dignified with his image ; or are of his
houfhold and family by regeneration and adoption.

Some make a god of their worldly pleaiures.
2 Tim. iii. 4. The apoftle tells us of fome, who
are lovers of pleafures more than lovers of God. The
drunkard has more pleafure in his cups, the fwearer
in his oaths, the unclean perfon in his fwinifh lufts,
the unjufl perfon in his unlawful gains, than in
God. Many will rather rifque the difpleafure of
God, and ruJJo upon the thick bojfes of his buckler,
than make a covenant with their eyes, or other fenfes,
that they may not be porches for the fiery darts
of fatan to enter in, and inflame the fewel of in-
ward luft and corruption. The apoftle fpeaks of
fome whofe god is their belly, Phil. iii. 19. They
are more concerned what they fliall eat and drink,
or wherewith they iliall be clothed, than how
they fhall glorify God, or advance their own, or o-
thers, fpiritual and eternal well-being. They have
more pleafure in an ordinary meal among friends,
than in eating the flefh and drinking the blood of
the Son of God among his friends and members
at his table : and, is this to have no other gods be-
fore Jehovah our God?

Some again make a god of their worldly credit
and reputation, John v. 44. The Pharifees loved
the praife of men more than that honour, which cofjies
from God; and this v/as the reafon of their re-
jediing Chrift. Will not our fpirits rife with re-
fentment, when our own character or reputation is
attacked, and yet bear it with patience when God is

diflionoured

digged out of mount Sinai. 411

diflionoured, or his holy name profaned ? Which
plainly fays, that our own honour is dearer to us
than the honour of God ; which could never be,
if we had no other god before Him.

Some make a god of their worldly helps and
confidence in the tim.e of danger, and truil: more
to thefe for deliverance than unto himfelf, Jfa.
xxxi. I. Wo to them that go doiai to Egypt for
help, and jlay on horfes, and truji in chariots and
horfcmen^ becaufe they are rnany : but look not to the
holy One of Ifrael, neither feek the Lord. There is
a folemn curfe pronounced againft idolaters of this
kind J Curfed is the man that trufieth in man^ and?na-
keth jiejh his arjn^ and 'whoje heart depart eth from the
Lord. Some again make a god of their very ene-
mies, and are more afraid of him, that can only
kill the body, than they are of him, who is able to
cafl both foul and body into hell. Some make a
god of the devil, who is indeed called the god of
this world: when any lufl, or idol, is fet up and fer-
ved, either with body or mind, the devil himfelf,
in that cafe, is worshipped and ferved, though not
intentioufly j hence ferohoam% calves are called de-
vils, although by thefe he only intended to wor-
fhip the true God. The devil is then worfliipped,
when we are more afraid of him, than we are to
difpleafe God by fin ; and when people run to wi-
zards, or fuch as are fuppofed to be in compacfl
wath the devil, in order to afk advice, or to know
future events, or to difcover what is flolen or lofl \
this, I fay, is devil-worfliip, and was the imme-
diate forerunner of Saul\ ruin, when he went to
the witch of En-dor to feek counfel. It is joined
with the abominable idolatary of Moloch^ Lev. xx.
6. To conclude, how many are there that make
gods of their vile lufts, and ferve and obey thefe

rather

41 2 A Treafure of Gofpel-grace

rather than God ? Some ferve the lufl of unclean*
nefs, fome that of intemperance, fome the luft of
revenge, others of covetoufnefs, or ambition, or the
like. O how innumerable are the luils of the un-
mortified heart ! Yet, according to the number of
thy lufts, O linner, fo are thy gods. Know ye not^
fays the apoflle, that to whom ye yield yourfehes Jh^-
"vants to obey j his fervants ye are, whether of fit
unto death or cf obedience unto right eoiifnefs f Rom,
vi. 1 6.

Thus I have given you a fhort account of fome
other gods, which people may have fecretly lodged
in their hearts, while they pretend to obey this
command, 'Thou jhalt have no other gods before Die,
Take heed, that the word of the Lord be not againfl;
you 'j and that, while I have been aiming to open
this law or commandment of God, in its fpirituali-
ty, confcience be not faying, as Ahab to the pro-
phet, T^hoii hafi found me, O mine enejny : has not
this commandment, which is exceeding broad,
difcovered fome other god in thy heart than him,
who fays here, / a?n the Lord thy God F If any one
of thefe idols be reigning upon the throne of thy
heart, thou never to this day obeyedft the firft
commandment of the law of God. From whence
it is eafy to infer, that thy obedience is yet to be-
gin, with refped: to the whole law, and every other
commandment of it : for, if the firft be not obey-
ed firfl:, none of the reft can be obeyed ; no, it is
impoffible ; becaufe, as I faid already, the founda-
tion of all obedience is laid in havino; no other god
but Him only, who promifes in the preface to be
the Lord our God. O firs, for the Lord's fake,
look to it in time, that there be not a lye in your
right-hand, while you profefs to clofe with this
promife, / am the Lord thy God , for, if you clofe

with

digged out of 77ioiint Sinai. 413

with it aright by faith, you will juft do as required
ill this command, faying, I will have no other
gods before God in Chrift reconciling the world to
himfelf. Thus, by obeying the firft command,
we receive Chrift, and reft upon him alone^ for
falvation, as he is offered, given or promifed in
the gofpei or covenant of grace.

Vfe 3d of this dodlrine may be by way of con-
Jolation to believers, whofe fouls, in obedience to
this commandment, have, upon the foundation of
this covenant-grant, faid unto the Lord, T^hou art
my Lord ; and who, in the faith of this promife,
I a?}i the Lord thy God, have gone to a communion-
table, and taken the bread and wine in that ordi-
nance, as the feal of this promife, and all the other
promifes that depend thereupon. That you may
fee what ftrong confolation is here, I pray you
confider, that this promife, I am the Lord thy Godj
draws all the bleffings of heaven and eternity
with it. There is not one promife, from the be-
ginning of Genefis to the end of the Re'uelatio??,
which thou mayft not confidently claim as thine
own, if thou haft obeyed the command of God,
in laying hold of God as thy God, thy only God,
by vertue of this glorious grant of fovereign grace^
/ am the Lord thy God.

It is impoffible, that I can tell you the ten thou-
fandth part of that grace and glory, that lies in the
womb of this promife, I am the Lord thy God, an
infinite God, who is an infinite good, is in it:
Who can by fe arching find out God ^ Who can fitd
him out to perfeBion? New fcenes of his infinite
glory will be opened to faints and angels through
eternity in heaven. O then, how immenfe is the
treafure that is here fecured to thcc, O believer,
in thefe two or three words, / a^n the Lord thy God!

Well

414 ^ Treafure of Gofpel-grace

Well mayfl thou iing, l!he lines arefalleji to me In
fkafant places. He that gave himfelf unto the
death for thy redemption in the perfon of the Son,
and gives himfelf as J EHOVAH^ Father, Son
and Holy Ghofl, by covenant-gift and grant ; how
will he not with this freely give thee all things ?
Canft thou doubt of his liberality as to other things,
when he does not withhold his infinitely glorious
felf ? Canft thou doubt of his fulfilling any other
promife of the covenant, when thou hafl fet to
the feal of faith to this, with application of it to
thy foul, / am the Lord thy Godf

I might here, for the believer's confolation, and
the encouragement of his faith, fliew how this
covenant-promife draws all the reft of the pro-
mifes in its train, they being infeparably connedied
therewith. To inflance only in a few inftead of
many; I AM THE LORD THY GOD:
therefore / will give thee a heart to know me, I
AM THE LORD THY GOD: therefore /
willfprinkle thee with clean water, and thou Jl:alt be
clean ; from all thy idols and jilthinefs will I cleanje
thee. I AM THE LORD THY GOD: there-
fore / will be merciful unto thy unrighteoufnefs, thy
fins and iniquities will I remetnber 710 more. I am
the Lord thy God : therefore / will put ?ny fpirit
withi?! thee^ and caufe thee to walk in myjiatutes, to
keep my judgments and to do them. And fo of all
the other promifes of the covenant j they are all
yea and amen in him, who is the Lord thy God,
He, who is fo kind and good, as to make over
himfelf to thee as thy God, will infallibly make
out and make good every promife ; and thou
mayfl truft him, w^ith aflured confidence, that he
will do it, becaufe he has faid, I AM THE
L O R D T H Y G O D. O ! let not the frequent

repetition

digged out of mount Sinai, 415

repetition of thefe words make them unfavouryJ
for there is more, than ten thoufand millions of
heavens of glory, in them to the foul, that views
them with the eye of faith, in the light of the
fpirit.

I might further add, for the believer's comfort,
that this promife, / dfn the Lord thy God^ draws
along with it, the fweeteft and mofi; endearing
offices and relations that can be imagined. To
inftance in a few j (i.) He who is thy God, is
thy fun to inlighten, dired, warm and frucftify
thy foul with his benign and gracious influences,
FJhlm Ixxxiv. 1 1 . T'he day-fpr'mgfrofn on high hath
begun to vifit thee, the day-Jfar hath arijhi in thy
hea?'t ; and, though clouds may overcafl: thy iky,
yet the fun of righteoufnefs will break through
them, and return with the refrefliing vifits of
everiafting kindnefs j for his going-forth are pre-
pared, or fecured, as the morning. Unto you that
fear my name, fiall the ftin of righteoifnefs arije with
heali?2g in his wings ', and ye fiall go forth, and grow
up as calves in the fall, Mai. iv. 2. (2.) The
Lord thy God is a jQiield, to proted: and defend
thee againft all the attacks of thy temporal or fpiri-
tual enemies. V/hen fin, fatan and the world come
in like a flood, the fpirit of the Lord fhall lift up
a ftandard againft them. He is the frength of the
poor, the frength of the needy in their diftrefs, a re-
fuge from the form, a foadow from the heat, when
the blaft of the terrible ones is as a form againfl the
wall. Thy God is the field of thy help, and the
fword of thy excellency ; He rides in the heavens for
thy help, and in his excellency on the fkies. (3.) Thy
God is thy reward : fear not, fays the Lord to
Abraham, I am thy field and exceeding great re-
ward. Gen. XV. i. He is, not only thy rewarder,

but

41 6 ATreafure of Gofpel-gract

but he himfelf is thy reward. And, thy God be-
ing thy reward, it muft be exceeding great, great
beyond all expreffion or imagination j it is exceed-
ing great beyond what eye ever faw, or ear heard,
or hath entred into the heart of man to conceive.
Sure fuch a reward cannot be of debt, but of
grace only. It is the reward, not of our fervice
or obedience, but the reward of the obedience and
death of our glorious furety. He is the righteous
new heir, and we are heirs of God, and joint heirs
with Jefus Chrift. (4.) Thy God, believer, is
thy friend. There is a covenant of friendfliip
implied in my text, / am the Lord thy God. It is
faid oi Abraham that he was the friejid of God\
and the friendfliip is mutual. Whatever kind Of-
fices ever one friend performed to another, thefe
doth thy God perform unto thee. Thy God, as a
friend, fympathizes with thee, in all thy afflic-
tions, Ifa. Ixiii. 9. Supplies thy needs, Phil. iv.
18. Imparts his fecrets to thee, the fecrets of his
covenant, and myfteries of his kingdom, which
he hides from the reft of the world. Matt. vii.
25. Promifes to bear thee company through fire
and water, life and death, Ifa. xliii. 3. As a
friend, he will pay you kindly vifits, and meet you
more than half-way, when you come to vifit him ;
T^hoii meetefi him who rejoiceth^ and worketh righ^
teoiifnefsy and remembers thee in thy id ays. (5.) Thy
God, believer, is thy Father, 2 Cor. vi. 16, 17.
I will be their God, and they fall be my people. And,
'verfe 18. it is added, I will be a Father to you , and
ye fall be my fons and daughter s^ faith the Lord
Almighty. Behold what ma?mer of lo've is this, that
we foiild be called the fons of God I Let men and
angels wonder at it, that we, who are fprung of
hell, fhould be dignified with a name among the

general

digged out of mount Sinai. 41^

general afTembly and church of the firft-born.
Thy God is thy Father ; and, as a tender-hearted
Father, his eye is upon thee for good, his ear is
open unto thy cry, his heart follows thee wherever
tliou goefl, his hand is ready to help thee and hold
thee up, his fpirit, in and by the word, to counfel
and comfort thee, his houfe of many manfions
prepared and ready to receive thee, whenever thou
art diilodged from the earthly houfe of this taber-
nacle. (6.) Thy God is thy Hulband, Ifa. liv. 6.
^hy Maker h thy Htijbandy whofe name is the Lord
of Hojis 'y a??d thy Redeemer the holy One of IfraeL
Thy name before him is Hcphziba and Beula j he
rejoiceth over thee, as the bridegroom rejoiceth o-
ver his bride. There is a complication of interefts
betwixt him and thee, and thy concerns are fo
much his, that, whatever action the law has againfl
thee, he is bound, by vertue of his relation to
thee as a hufband, to cover and defend thee againft
all deadly. (7.) Thy God, believer^ is thy very
life, yea, the firength of thy life, Pfalm vii. i.
*The Lord is the Jlreiigth of my life, of tjohom jhall I
be afraid'^ Thy God lives, and becaufe he lives
thou (halt live alfo. 'T^he Lord li'Veth, bleffed he my
rock, and let the God of My fahafion be exalted.
Thus you fee by thefe little hints, what this pro-
mife, I a?n the Lord thy God, draws after it for the
confolation of the believer, who has by faith laid
hold of it, and fo obeyed the iirft command. O
firs, faith's vievy^s of the grace wrapped up in this
promife, would make us all to join iffue with Da-
vid, Pfalm xxxi. 19. O how g-reat is thy goodnefs,
ivhich thou haji laid up for them that fear thee, which
thou haft wrought for them that truft in thee, before
the Jons of men I So much for the ufe of comfort.

E e The

4i 8 A Treafure of Gof pel-grace

The laft uje I fliall make of this fubjed:, is of
exhortation, i/?, To all in general, zdly^ To
believers.

Ftrjl^ A word of exhortation to all in general,
to obey and keep the firil: commandment, by
taking hold of this covenant-grant, / am the Lord
thy God: which is all one, as if I fliould exhort
you to believe in Chrift, or receive and reft upon
him alone, ^c. When a finner believes in Chrift,
what does he elfe but receive God in Chrift, as his
God, by virtue of the covenant of grace, placing
his only reft and happinefs through eternity in the
enjoyment of him alone ? And, is not this the ve-
ry thing required in the firft commandment, or a
having no other gods before him ? The gofpel,
holding forth the objed: of faith, and the com-
mand requiring the obedience of faith, has been
one and the fame in all ages of the world, how-
ever differently exprefted and difpenfed. We ge-
nerally look upon the law of God, delivered to
Ifrael at mount Sinai^ as binding and obligatory
upon us J and no doubt it is the rule of obedience
to all mankind, unto the end of the world, who
fhall read or hear of it. And I am fo far from
thinking, or teaching, that the obligation of the
holy law is diftblved by the grace of the gofpel,
that I think it plain, from the conned:ion infinite
wifdom has laid betwixt them here, it is fimply
impoflible any man can fhare of the grace of the
gofpel, but in a way of obedience to the very firft
command of the law, as already explained : and
therefore my exhortation to every one hearing me,
is to yield obedience to this firft commandment
of the law 5 lay claim by fiitli unto a God in
Chrift, as your God, by virtue of the covenant,
where he fays, / am the Lord thy God ; and fee

that

digged out of mount Sinai. 419

that you have ?io other gods before him. Do not
think I exhort you to tliis, as though I fuppo-
fed yoj had any ll:rength or power of your own
to obey j no, we are naturally without ftrength,
wholly impotent to do any thing fpiritually good :
but, when I exhort you to obey this command-
ment, I exhort you to obey ir, in a dependence
upon the grace of him, who commands you to
have him as your own God, and who engages
himfelf by covenant to be our God^ and fo to be
the author and finilher of our faith.

Now, to (Quicken your compliance, to excite
your obedience, conlider thefe few particulars,
which I fhall not much enlarge upon; (i.) Con-
fider, that, by the breach of the firfl covenant,
you and I have forfeited all claim and title to the
Lord as our God. Indeed he never ceafed to be
our fovereign Lord-Creator ; in no ftate can this
relation to God be diffolved ; this relation ftands
even in the ftate of the damned : but, I fay, by
the violation of the holy law, we have loft
our covenant-relation to God, as our God, our
Father, our friend, our portion : and, having loft
our God, we have loft our life, peace, comfort,
and happinefs for ever ; and, not only fo, l^ut are
under his wrath and curfe, and fo are liable to all
miferies in foul and body through time and eter-
nity. Now, by hearkning unto this exhortation,
all this unfpeakable lofs is repaired : here you
have God coming in a new and better covenant,
even in a covenant of grace, faying, I am the Lord
thy God J yea, requiring thee, by his fovereign au-
thority to take him again as thy own God, and
thy only God, upon the footing of this new grant
of grace. O v/hat finner is it, that confiders his
own eternal intcreft, but will comply with this com-

E e 2 mand

42 o A T'reafure of Gof pel-grace

mand, in knowing and acknowledging the Lord
as his God ! Who would not take back the for-
feiture upon fuch an eafy ground ?

(2.) Confider who it is that fays, I am the Lord
thy God ; who it is that iffues out this command,
Thou fialt have no other gods before me. It is he
whofe name alone is J E H O VA H, mofl high
over all the earth ; he who doth whatever pleafes
him, in the armies of heaven, and among the in-
habitants of the earth j he who humbles himfelf,
when he beholds things in heaven, cherubims,
and feraphims, angels and archangels. O what
aflonifhing grace and condefcenlion is it in this
God to come to a finful worm of the fallen chil-
dren of jidam, faying, / am the Lord thy God !
O fhall we not fall in with the defign of fuch con-
defcending grace, and fay, we will have no other
gods before him ! This is our God for ever and
ever ! If we do not, we rejedt the council of God
againft ourfelves, and defpife the riches of his
grace.

(3.) Confider, that this is the very firft duty of
natural and revealed religion, to know and acknow-
ledge God as the only true God^ and our God, The
light of nature teaches us to own him as, our cre-
ating God, upon the ground of that revelation he
makes of himfelf to us, in the w^orks of creation
and providence. Revealed religion teaches us to
own him, as our God in Chrift, upon the ground
of his own promife and grant, I am the Lord thy
God. So that, till this command be obeyed, a
man is an atheift, an idolater, without God in the
world, and is an utter llranger both to natural and
revealed religion. Wo, wo, wo to the man, or
woman, that is in fuch a cafe j thou art condemn-
ed ahcady, and the ^\'rath of God abideth on

thee.

digged otU of mount Sinai. 421

thee, becaule thou rejecflefl Jehovah, in the perfon
of the Son, as thy God and Redeemer ; and upon
the matter, fayeft, I will have other gods before
him, I will not have him as the Lord my God.

(4.) Conliderthou can'ft perform no duty of
the law acceptably, until thou obeyefl this com-
mand, and clofe with this covenant-grant, as
was cleared already. All thy a6ls of obedience
to the other commandments, are but fplen-
did fins, an abomination to God, till this cove-r
nant-grant be received in obedience to the firft
precept of his law. The foul of all obedience is
wanting, till a man begin here, hence all his
works are but dead works.

(5.) Confider, how willing he is to be thy
God, even thy own God, O finner. If he were
not willing, would he ever fpeak in fuch a dialedt
to thee, as here, faying, I am the Lord thy God?
Would he ^ver lay thee under fuch a command of
love, as to fay. Thou Jhalt have no other gods before
me ? Thou flialt know and acknowledge me, as
thy own God and portion, as thy only hope and
happinefs, in time and through eternity ? O do
not fufpe6t his candor and ingenuity ! for the
ftrength of Ifrael will not lie ; he hates it in others,
and therefore it is impoflible he can be guilty of
it himfelf. We would reckon that man a blaf-
phemer, who, with his mouth, fliould utter fuch
words as thefe, it is not as God fays, he is not the
Lord my God : and yet this blafphemy every
unbelieving finner is guilty of: he makes God a
liar, and denies that God fpeaks the truth in his
heart, when he fays to him, / am the Lord thy
God', and, at the fame time, rebels againft his au-
thority, requiring him to make faith's application
of this covenant-2:rant to his own foul.

E e 3 (6,) Conr

42 2 A Treafure of Gofpel-grace

(6) Conlider, there is an abfolute necellity that
thou lay hold on this covenant-grant, in obedi-
ence to this command. Why ? there is no living,
and no fafe dying without God. Without God,
thou art without hope in the world. W^ithout
God, thou, and all thou haft in a world, are cur-
fed ; ciirfed in tky basket and Jiore^ in the houfe and
Jield, in th outgoings and incojnings. Without God
you cannot die, without dying the fecond death,
as well as the firft : all that are afar from thee,
fiall periJJo j What wilt thou do, O finner, in
the day of vilitation, who liveft in difobedience to
this command, and refufeft the grace contained in
this covenant-grant ? Whither wilt thou flee for
help ? And where wilt thou leave thy glory ?
How will you look God in the face, when ar-
raigned before his awful tribunal ? What a knell
will it give to thy heart, vv'hen thou heareft this,
as the firft and leading article of thy indidlment ?
there is the man, who would not know and ac-
knowledge me, as his God and Redeemer, me,
who ftretched out my arms of grace to embrace
him, and v/hofe bowels fent out a found after
him faying, / dm the Lord thy God, thou fialt have
no other gods before me I He preferred felf and the
world to me, and therefore, now I will laugh at
his cala?nity, and mock when his fear is come upon
hijjt. O confder this, ye that forget God, leji he tear
you in pieces, when there is jione to deliver out of his
hand.

(7.) Confider what advantage will redound to
thy foul, by obeying this command with an eye to
the covenant-promife. Thou art made up for
ever , all falvation, as you heard, is wrapt up in
this one word, / ajn the Lord thy God. And in
the faith of it, thou mayeft go through the valley

digged out of ?nount Sinai. 423

of the fliadow of death, without fearing any evil ;
for tliy God is with thee, he will never leave thee
nor forfake thee.

But I fliall not further infiil in preiTing this ex-
hortation with arguments. One would think, that
no man, that believes a future Hate of eternal hap-
pinefs or mifery, needs to be much urged to know
and acknowledge God in Chrift, as his God, upon
this new grant of fovereign grace ; this being the
very hinge, upon which a comfortable eternity
doth turn. All I ihall do further in profecuting
this exhortation, is to anfwer a few objed:ions,
which carnal reafon and unbelief will very readily
mufler up againft this doctrine and exhortation.

ObjeB. I ft, May one fay, I have loft all claim
and title to the Lord as my God, by violating the
holy law, and I think, I hear God faying to me,
with a frown. How Jkall I put thee among the chil-
dren^ who haft forfeited thy relation to me ? and
therefore I dare not own and acknowledge him, as
the Lord my God. Anjw. It is indeed true, that
you, and I, and all mankind, have loft our title
and relation to him as our God, by the firft Adam,
and the breach of the firft covenant ; and, fince
the fall of Adam^ God never faid to any finner
upon a law-ground, / am the Lord thy God : no,
when a finner looks to that quarter, his hope and
ftrength perifties for ever from the Lord. But,
O ! firs, here is a new covenant, a new gift or
grant, that God makes of himfelf, which does not
go upon the ground of our obedience to the law,
as its condition, but upon the ground of foverei2:n
grace, reigning tlirough the righteoufnefs of God-
man : here I fay, is a new claim of right pre-
fented to the guilty finner ; lam the Lord thy God-,
I will be unto them a Father^ and they Jhall be my

E e 4 fins

424 -^ Treafure of Gof pel-grace

fons and daughters^ faith the Lord Almighty. Thefe
and the like abfolute and indefinite promifes are
univerfally difpenfed to all and every one, as the
ground of faith : and, left any finner through
a fenfe of guilt, fhould fear to lay hold upon this
new claim of right, here is the warrant fubjoined,
and annexed to the claim, lihou Jloalt have no other
gods before me,

ObjeB. 2d. I am afraid, left God be not faying
this to me in particular, / am the Lord thy God j
and therefore dare not lay hold of it, I fear, left
he be not requiring me in particular by this com-
mandment, to know and acknowledge him as my
God. Anfrv. It is by thefe and the like ground-
lefs furmifes and infinuations, that an evil heart of
unbelief turns us away from the living God, and
from taking hold of his covenant. But pray, tell
me, in good earneft, do you think to difpute
away the binding obligation of the very firft com-
mandment of the law of God ? For, as was faid,
at the fame time that you refufe to take hold of
this covenant-grant, you difobey the firft and
leading precept to the law. Why will you own
the obligation of the other commandments of
the law, and rejed: this ? I fuppofe there are
none of you, but will readily acknowledge, that
you in particular are bound to honour your pa-
rents, not to kill, fteal, commit adultery, ^c. You
may with as good reafon, fay, or think, that thefe
other precepts do not bind you in particular, as
imagine, that you are not particularly bound by
the firft to own and acknowledge a God in Chrift,
as your God. Why fo much prejudiced againft
the firft and chief commandment of God beyond
all others ? What account can be rendered for it,
that men ftiould thruft away from them the firft

command^

digged out of mount Sinai. 425

commandment of the very law of nature, when
grafted in to the gofpel-covenant, and made fo fub-
fervient to their eternal falvation ? I know of no fo-
folid reafon that can be given for it, but that of the
apoftle, 'The god of this ivorld hath blinded the minds of
them that believe not.

ObjeB. 3^. I cannot refufe, that the command,
^hoii fialt haije no other gods before me^ is bind-
ing upon me in particular : but I can never think,
that it is to me in particular, that God is faying,
/ am the Lord thy God. Anfw. Who authorifed
you, or any of Adam's, race, to put afunder what
God has joined ? I am fure, it is not by God's
warrant that this is done 3 and therefore you may
ealily divine, that it comes from a worfe quarter.
It is the great plot of fatan to break that con-
nec^tion which God has laid betwixt the gofpel
and the lav/ j for he knows very well, that, if
the gofpel be feparate from the law, or the law
from the gofpel, in the matter of practice, not one
of die commandments of the law can be obeyed
to purpofe. And if this firfl: command, in par-
ticular, be disjoined from the gofpel promife laid
in the preface, I am the Lord thy God, it can jio
more be obeyed by a linner, than if he were com-
manded to pull the fun, or moon, out of the firipa-
ment. Pray confider, while you own the obli-
gation of the precept, and, mean while, refufe
your interefl or concern with the preface, .you
acknowledge your obligation to obedience, and
yet, at the fame time, caft away the foundation
upon which your obedience is to fland ; thus
you build without a foundation, and how can
that building ftand ? It will fall, and great will
be the fall of it. And therefore, in the name of
Godj I proclaim, that this promife, I am the Lord

thy

426 A Treafure of Gofpel-grace

thy Gcii, is to you, and your feed, and to all
that are afar off. Did not God ipeak to every indivi-
dual in the camp, when he uttered thefe words,
I am the Lord thy God 3 as well as when he added,
^hcu palt ha've no other gods before me ? The
fame is he faying to you, and me, and every one
of us ; and therefore let us not caft away our
own mercy : To us, as well as unto them, belong
the adoption, the covenants^ the giving of the law^
and the proniifes.

ObjcB, ^th. What if all that is intended in thefe
words, / am the Lord thy God, be only, either an
ailertion of divine fovereignty, or of an external
federal relation to Ifrael, as the feed and pofterity
of Abraham, and the only vifible church ? And,
if fo, where is there a foundation in them for me
to believe in him, as the Lord my God ? A??fw,
I am far from excluding any of thefe things which
the objection mentions as comprehended in thefe
words, / a)n the Lord thy God : and I grant, that
if no more were included in them, I do not fee,
how they could be a foundation of fpecial and
faving faith to me, or any elfe. But, that it is
otherwife, will not readily be denied by any, if
they conlider, what it is God requires of us in the
firft command, as infeparably connected with the
preface. Pray confivder it a little ; is this all that
God calls for by the firfl precept of his law, to
know and acknov/ledge him as our fovereign
Lord-creator, or that he is a God to the vifible
church by external federal relation ? No doubt
tliefe are truths inaifpenfably to be believed : but,
there is more required, namely, to believe that he
is the Lord our God in Chrift, and to worfliip
and glorify him accordingly. The external fede-
ral relation, that God bears to the viiible church,

becomes

digged out of mount Sinai. 427

becomes fpecial, when this promife is applied by
a faving faith : hence this is the common argu-
ment wherewith IJrael is urged to believe and re-
pent through all the old tellament ; particularly,
Pfdlm Ixxxi. 9, 10, II. And whenever faving
faith was ad:ed, whereby their turning unto him was
influenced, they commonly faflen upon, and ap-
ply, this fundamental promife in my text, yc7\
iii. 22. So that, I fay, there is more in thefe
words, / am the Lord thy God^ than a bare affer-
tion of divine fovereignty, or of his covenant-re-
lation to Ifrael, as a vifible church : there is in
them a glorious new-covenant grant, or gift, that
God makes of himfelf to us in Chrift as our God,
to be applied by a faving faith ; and, when fuch
a faith is adted upon it, the native echo of the
foul unto it, is, 'This God is my God; I believe it,
becaufe he himfelf hath faid it, and faid it, not
to others only, but to me in particular : / will fay y
It is my people ; and they fiall fay, the Lord is tny
God. It is true indeed, no man can fpeak t&is
dialed of faith without the Holy Spirit 3 but, to
fay that there is not fufficient ground for a parti-
cular applicatory faith in the bare word or pro-
mife of God, abftrad:edly confidered, is to apo-
logize for the unbelief of the hearers of the gof-
pel, and to run into the error of the enthuliafts,
who fufpend the duty of believing, not upon the
word of God, but upon the work and light of the
fpirit within.

ObjeB. ^th. If this promife be made to every
one in the vilible church, how {hall the veracity
of the promifer be falved or vindicated, feeing
there are many who come fhort of it, many to
whom he never becomes their God in a fpecial
covenant-relation ?

Unto

428 AT7^eafure of Gofpel-grace

Unto this obje^llon I might anfwer by way of
retortion, How is it that the unbeliever makes
God a Liar, if the promife be not made to him
in particular ? For, if the promife and the faith-
fulnefs of the promifer be not to him, he can-
not be blamed for not believing, or not fetting to
his feal to a promife never made to him. Can
he be condemned for not intermeddling v/ith a
thing that does not belong to him ? Again, I afk.
How was it, that God, in a confiitency with his
fiithfulnefs made unbelieving Ifrael, to know his
breach of promife. Numb. xiv. 34. after he had
made a grant or gift of the land of Canaan to
them, and promifed to bring them into it, while
yet they never were allowed to er.ter it, but
dropped their carcaiTes in the wildernefs, God ha-
ving fworn that they fliould not enter into his
reft ? The faithfulncfs of God, in breaking
his promife that he had made to that gene-
ration, is falved by landing the blame upon their
own unbelief; they believed not his word, they
trufted not in his falvation, they gave more cre-
dit to the falfe lying report of the wicked fpies,
than to the word and promife of him, for whom
it is impoiTible to lye ; and, becaufe they made
God a lyar, therefore his promife made to them,
turned to be of no effed; unto them. In like
manner, a promife is left us of entring into a
fpiritual and eternal reft ; but mean time, moil
have reafon to fear, lefl God, make them to
know his breach of promife, by excluding them
out of that promifed reft, becaufe of their un-
belief. The faithfulncfs of God is not in the
leaft impeached hereby, becaufe the unbeliever
calls his faithful nefs in queftion, and rejects his
promife, as a thing not worthy of regard. Can

a man

digged out of mount Sinai. 429

a man be charged with unfaithfulnefs, In not be-
llowing himlelf and his eflate upon a woman to
whom hefhas made a promife of marriage, if the
woman to whom it was made, refufe his offer and
promife ? The faithfulnefs of the bankers of Scot^
land is engaged in particular to the bearer of their
note ; but, if the bearer fliall tear the note, or
throw it away as a piece of ufelefs paper, their
veracity is no ways impeached, tho' they never
pay that man the fum contained in the note :
fo here.

Obj. 6th, If I could find the marks and eviden-
ces of faving grace once wrought in my foul, then
indeed I could acknowledge and believe the Lord
is my God j but till then I dare not, neither do I
think it my duty. Anf. I do own, that none can
warrantably draw this concluiion, that they are in
a ftate of grace, within the bond of the covenant,
or favingly interefled in the Lord as their God, till
they have examined the matter at the bar of the
word, and, upon trial, have found fuch marks of
grace, as warrant them to draw fuch a concluiion.
But this is not the queftion now under confidera-
tion : the queftion at prefent is, Whether it be
lawful and warrantable for a poor finner, who is
fo far from finding any works of grace or gracious
qualifications in himfelf, that he can fee nothing
but fin and mifery, feels himfelf to be ^n heir of
hell and wrath ; whether, I fay, it be his duty,
upon the footing of this covenant-grant and pro-
mife, / am the Lord thy God, to know, believe and
acknowledge the Lord as his God r And if this
be the queftion, w^hich it muft be, it is all one as
if it were aiked, Whether it be the immediate du-
ty of fuch a perfon to obey the fir ft command of
the moral law, as it ftands under a covenant of

grace ?

43 o ^ Treafure of Gofpel-grace

grace ? or, Whether a perfon is to forbear obedi-
ence to the firfl command in the law of God, till
he find gracious qualifications wrought iif his foul ?
To affirm which, were upon the matter to fay,
that the firfi; commandment of the law does not
enjoin the firfi: duty of religion, but that fomething
is to be done, before we do the thing that God re-
quires of us in the firfi: place, as the foundation of
all other adts of obedience ; and that is, to know
and believe that God in Chrift is our God, by ver-
tue of a covenant of grace contained in thefe words,
lam the Lord thy God. Such ftrange abfurdities
we inevitably run ourfelves into, when we keep
not in the cleanly path of faith chalked out to us
in the word.

Obj. jth. We fear, that this way of teaching will
lead us into a prefumptuous confidence, and there-
fore we are afraid to meddle with it. Anf. God
teaches no man to prefume, when he requires him
to have no other gods before him. Your appro-
ved catechifm does not teach you to prefume,
when it tells you, that God, in this commandment,
requires you to know and acknowledge him as
God, and as your God 5 and that, becaufe he is
the Lord and our God, therefore we are bound to
keep all his commandments. But befides, as I
told you in the ufe of trial, the man, who, in a
prefumptuous way, lays claim to the Lord as his
God, either lays claim to him out of Chrifi:, or
he does it not upon the footing of the faithfulnefs
of God, engaged in~ the covenant j or elfe, while
he fays with his mouth, that the Lord is God, he
hath other gods before him : in which cafe, God
fays to the man. What hajl thou to do to make men-
tion of my cciC72aJ2tj feeing thou hafi; other gods be-
fore

digged out of mount Sinai. 43!

fore me in thy heart, and thus thou hatefl injiruc-
tion, and cafteth my coiinfel behind thy back F

Obj. 2th. God is angry, he carries toward ms
as an enemy ; he fmites by the word and rod :
how then fhall I adventure to fay, he is the Lord
my God ? A??/. It is true, God was angry ; but,
his anger or vindi(flive wrath having fpent itfelf
upon our glorious furety, we may now fay, with
the church, Jfa. xii. i. His anger is turned away ^
and he comfort eth us. Behold^ God is 7ny fahation ;
I will truft and not he afraid. Having fmelt a fweet
favour in the facrifice of the death of Chrift, the
deluge of wrath is recalled, and a proclamation
iffued out. Fury is not in me ; I am the Lord thy
God 'y 1'houjhalt ha'ue no other gods before me. O
firs, this is not the language of anger and wrath,
but the language of love, mercy, and of infinite
bowels of pity and good-will toward man upon
earth. As for the appearance of anger in his dif-
penfations, no man can know either love or hatred
by all that is before him : the only way to judge
of the love of his heart, is to read it in, and by
his words of grace 3 for thefe, and not liis exter-
nal difpenfations, are the exadt portraiture of his
deep and infinite heart. It is true indeed, we arc
told, that God is angry with the wicked every day :
But what is his grand and fundamental quarrel
with them ? It is this, that, though he has faid,
I am the Lord thy God and Redeemer j though he
has given fuch a glorious proof of this, as to give
his only begotten Son, and to give him up to the
death for our redemption ; though he has engaged
his faithfulnefs to us in a new covenant : yet they
will not know and acknowledge the Lord as God,
and as their God, but will have fome other gods
before him. To conclude, the defign of all the

tlireat-

432 A'Treafure of Gofpel-grace

threatnings of the word, and of all the angry-like
difpenfations of his providence, is, that we may
flee from his wrath, and may not rufh upon the
thick boffes of his buckler, but may turn to him as
our God in Qhn^j and live y Ezek. xxxiii. ii.

Obj. ()th. What if it was only to the eledt or
believers in the camp of Ifrael, that God fpake
when he faid, / am the Lord thy God f if fo, they
cannot be a foundation of faith to all. ^4??/. This
objedlion flill breaks the connection, God has made
betwixt the promife and the precept, which mufl
not be. I believe no man will adventure to fay,
that the command, Thou /halt have no other gods be-
fore me, was only to the eled:, or believers, but to
eled: and reprobate, believers and unbelievers. The
whole law was given to every man, no man ex^
empted : Now, did God tie them all to obedience
by his command, and yet, at the fame time, take
away the foundation of obedience, which lies in
the promife ? No j the one mufl: run parallel with
the other. The promife, in its exhibition, mufl be
as extenlive as the obligation of the command.
The objed: of faith muft be prefented to all, whofe
duty it is to believe. The promife is among things
revealed as well as the precept, and therefore does
equally belong unto us. What God has joined, let
no man feparate. It is true, thefe words, I am the
Lord thy God, conlidered as in his mind, purpofe
and decree, belonged only to the eled: ; but, con-
lidered as uttered or fpoken indefinitely, they ceafe
to be a decree with refped: unto us : we are to
look upon them as a promife tendered to us as the
ground of our faith, and fo they have a refped:
to every one commanded to have him as his own
God.

digged out of mount Sinai. 433

I fhall iliut up this difcourfe with two or three
words of exhortation, or advice, to you who have
in reality obeyed this firil commandment of the
royal law, by laying hold upon God in Chrift as
your God, by vertue of his faithfulnefs engaged in
this glorious grant, / am the Lord thy God, O
what iLall we, or what can we, render unto him,
who, after we had loft him as our God by fin,
renders himfelf back to us in a new covenant,
fealing it with his own blood, and attefting it by
the three, that bear record in heaven ! There are
thefe few things, the Lord thy God requires of thee
in a way of gratitude j ( i.) Love him as thy God,
and love all that bear his image ;' for this is the
fum of the ten commandments, ThouJl:alt love the
Lord thy God, with nil thy heart, with all thy fouly
with all thy Jlrcngth, and with all thy fnind-, and thy
7ieighhour as thyfelf. This love is the fulfilling of
the law. (2.) Truft him as thy God j Trz//? in the
Lord for ever, for in the Lord fehovah is everlaji^
ing Jlrength. T^rujl in him at all times, ye people,
Truft him for every promifed blefiing, and afk
them of him in prayer j for they are agreeable to
his will. And this is the confidence that we have to^
ward him, that, if we ajk any thing according to his
will, he heareth us. Cafi all thy cares upon thy God,
and i?i every thing by prayer let your requejls be made
known unto him. (3.) Worftiip him as thy God ;
He is thy Lord, and worfiip thou him. And O
worftiip him in the beauties of holinefs. For holi^
?2efs becomes his fanStuary for ever. (4.) Walk before
thy God and be thou perfeSl. All people will walk in
the name of their God; we alfo will walk in the 7jame
of the Lord our God. Walk worthy of him, who has
called you out of darknefs into his marvellous light.
Let your light fo pine before men, as others feei?7g

F f your

434 ^ Treafure of Gof pel-grate

your good works may glorify your Father ivhich is in
heanjen. (5.) Praife, extol and magnify him as
your God, Exod. 15. He is my Gody I will prepare
him a habitation ; my father s God, and I will exalt
him. Let the high praifes of thy God be con-
tinually in thy mouth, that ever faid to thy foul,
/ ajn the Lord thy God. Join ifTue with David,
Pfalm 18. faying, ^he Lord liveth, blejfcd be my
rocky and let the God of my falvation be exalted.
Laflly. Difband all other gods : Thou fialt have
no other gods before me : let nothing ufurp his room.
Little children, keep yourfehes from idols. Hear, O
my people, I will teflify unto thee : O Ifrael, if then
wilt harken unto 7ne j there jhall no firangc god be in
thee J neither fait thou worfip any f range god*
lam the Lord thy God, Pfalm Ixxxi. 8, 9, 10.

"The

l^hc promifing GOD^ a perform-
ing GOD.

A SERMON preached on a Thankfgiving-
Day, after the Sacrament of the Lord's-Supper,
at Abbot\ Hall J OSlober 22, 1733.

By Mr. Ralph Erskine.

Gen. xxviii. 15.

For I will not leave thee^ until I

have done that which I havefpoken to
thee of.

AT the laft facramental folemnhy of this fort,
I fpoke a Httle, concerning the great plea
and prayer of faith upon the divine promife in the
words of David J 2 Sam. vii. 25. — Lordj do as
thou haflfaid. We may now look upon this text
that I have read, as the gracious anfwer of God
to that prayer of faith, in the words of the great
God himfelf to Jacobs I will not leave thee^ until
I have done that which I have fpoken to thee of\ or,
till I have done as I have f aid.

What God faid once to yofiua, chap. i. 5.
' — I will 7iot fail thee, nor forfake thee, is applied, as
fpoken to all believers, Heb. xiii. 5. / will never
leave thee, nor forfake thee. Even fo, what God
faid to Jacob here, doth equally belong to all be-

F f 2 lievers

43 6 The fromiftng God^

lievers in Chriil j I will not leave thee, till I have
done that which I have fpoken to thee of. Hath God
condefcended to fpeak to you, and caufed you to
hope upon his word of grace, or promife^ at this, or
any former, occaiion ? Here is good news to take
away with you, that the promifing God will, in
due time, be a performing God, and that you
may not think long, and weary or fai?it in your
mind, apprehending v/hat a weary time it may be,
between the promife and the performance. Here
is fupporting encouragement, in the mean time, /
will not leave thee, until I have done that which I
have fpoken to thee of. What I have faid I will do,
and will not leave thee, till I have done it.

In the preceeding part of this chapter you find,
facob was forced to fly from his father's houfe,
upon the account of the wrath of his brother
Ffau : he is haftned away to Padan-aram, and
on his way he comes to Luz, which afterwards, on
the account of a notable emergent, was called Be-
thel, where God fignally appeared, and difcovered
himfelf to him in great glory, fuitably to his ftrait.
Here he was benighted, verfe 1 1 . and was obliged
to lye in the open field. Some of the faints and
fervants of God have been put to great hardlhips,
through the violence and rage of their perfecuting^
brethren. But though Jacob's bed was hard, yet
his reft was fweet, while he had a hard pillov/ of
ftone under his head, the Lord appeared to him
in a dream, and fpake comfortably to him. God's
time, of fpeaking comfort to his people, is readily
when they are moft deftitute of other comforts,
then he is moft kind, when brethren come to be
moft unkind.

You may notice what God fhewed to Jacoby
and what he faid to him. (i.) What he fhewed

a performing God* 437

to him, he manifcfted to him his glory, as the
God of providence, and the God of grace in
Chrifl:, who is here reprefented to him by the lad-
der reaching from heaven to earth, 'uerfe 12. and
all the intercourfe between heaven and earth is by
this ladder. (2.) What he fpake to him, verfe 13.
as the vifion was fuitable to his prefent cafe, let-
ting him underftand, that he had a good guide, and
a good guard, not only the angel of God, but the
Lord of angels ; fo the words, that God fpake to
him, were fuitable to his prefent need. The Lord
fpake from the top of the ladder ; for all the glad-
tidings we receive from heaven, come through
Jefus Chrift. Here are former promifes, made to
Abraham and Jfaac his father and grandfather, re-
peated and ratified to Jacobs whereby God intima-
ted, that he would be the fame to him, that he
had been to them. Here are frefh promifes made
to him fuited to his prefent condition. He was to
leave his kindred, and to want their prefence : God
promifed to be prefent with him. / am with thee.
He was in fear of Efau : God promifed, faying,
/ will keep thee. He was journeying to an un-
known place : God promifed to keep him in all
places, whitherfoever he went. He was apprehen-
five he would never fee his own country again :
God promifed, he would bring him again to that
land. He feemed to be left of all his friends and
relations : God promifed, faying, /'// not leave thee.
Providence feemed to crofs the promife, while he
is thus going as an exile to a place far diftant :
God afilires him of the performance of all he had
faid, in due feafon, / will not leave thee^ till I have
done that which I have fpoken to thee of. When God
fpeaks to his people, he fpeaks to the point, he
fpeaks to the cafe, his words are fuited to their

F f 3 prefent

438 T^he promijing God^

prefent exigencies j and not only fo, but to their
future flraits alfo. 'Jacob knew not, but God knew,
and forefaw, what hardfhips he would meet with
in his uncle Laban^ fervice ; and, in a fuitablenefs
to the event that was to take place, he afTures him,
faying, I will not leave thee^ until I have dojie that
which I have fpoken to thee of. This was fuch a
gracious manifeftation, and fuch a wonderful in-
tercourfe, that God had with Jacobs as obliged
Jacob to put a remark upon the place, and call it
Bethel, the houfe of God, the gate of heaven.

The text is not fo much a new promife, as a
repeated confirmation of what he had before pro-
mifed, for eflablifhing and fortifying of Jacob's
faith ; for, fays God, / will not leave thee, until I
have done that which I have fpoken to thee of
Where notice (i.) A confirming word concerning
the ilTue, or what he would bring out of thefe
promifes, that they (hall not be mere fayings, but
doings ; I will do what I have fpoken to thee of
Have I faid it, and will I not do it ? In the end the
vifonfiallfpeak. (2.) A fupporting word in the
interim, that faith may not faint in the mean time,
before the accomplifhment come, I will not leave
thee, till I have done it, Jacob might think, O ! it
may be a long time between the promife now
made, and the accompliiliment of it. What will
become of me in the mean time ? And indeed
he had dark days, and hard fervice before his
hand, and there was long twenty years between
■Bethel-v'iiit here, where he met with God, and
God fpake to him in this manner, and Peniel^
vifit, when he v/reftled with God and prevailed,
and v/hen God came to do for him fome of the
great things he had here fpoken to him cf. And
in that interval of twenty years betv/een Bethel

and

a performing God. '439

and Penielj many ups and downs, trials and diffi-
culties occurred in Jacobs lot ; but for his fupport
in the mean time, God alllires him, that he would
never leave him, until he had done that which he had
fpoken to him of. Hence the dodlrine I would
fpeak a little unto is.

That whatever dark and difrnal days may befal
the children of God^ upon the back of fweet Bethel
viftSy that he allows to them ; yet he will not leave
them, till he hath accomplijhed all the Bethel protnifes,
that he made to them.

He will never leave them, till he do what he hath
fpoken to them of He will go on till he hath done
as he hath faid. We may fay of our Lord Jefus,
when once he hath fpoken to a foul, and begun
to do gracioufly, as Naomi faid to Ruth concerning
Boaz, Ruth iii. lafl verfe. Sit filly jny daughter y
till thou knoweft how the -matter will fall: for the
man will not reft^ till he hath finifoed the thing this
day. Even fo, when Chriil hath begun to fpeak
kindly, the poor believer may fit ftill and wait
patiently, till the appointed time of accpmplifhing
his word ; for the God-man will not reft, until he
hath finifhed the thing. We m,ay be confident of
this very thing, Philip i. 6. That he that hath be-
gun the good work in us^ and faid the good word
to us, will perform it, and finifh it; / will not
leave thee, until I have done that which I have fpoken
to thee of

We find how this doctrine was verified, both
m Jacob 2LViA\n^ feed, (i.) In Jacob's own per-
fon. After this difcovery of God, that he enjoyed
at Bethel, many dark days, and much hard fervice
he endured, yet God did not leave him. When
haban cafl down his countenance on him, God
lift up the light of his countenance on him, and

F f 4 faid.

440 'The promijing God^

faid, putting him in mind of this Bethel-vidx. he
made to him, and the Bethel-wow he cauled him
to make, Gen. xxxi. 13. I am the God of Bethel, .
Yea, God never left him, till he did what he
fpoke to him, both in profpering him in the place
where he was a ftranger fo long, and in bringing
him back to his own land, though he was in
great danger, when Laban was purfuing him be-
hind, and his brother Efau meeting him in the
face, yet God preferved him according to his word,
and brought him back to the land he promifed to
bring him to, and then fent him to vifit Bethel^
Gen. XXXV. 7. where he built an altar, and called
it El-bethel^ that is, the God of Bethel^ and fo re-
marked the goodnefs of God to him, in not
leaving him, till he had dofie all that he fpoke to him
cf. (2.) In yacob's feed this doctrine was verified,
particularly with reference to the promife made
to them, concerning their inheriting the land of
Canaan^ and expelling the Canaanites to make
room for them. See and compare ^op. xxi. clofe,
with Jojlo. xxiii. 14, 15. and i Kings viii. 56.
God will take his own time of doing what he hath
fpoken; but he will be fure to do it, whatever
difficulties interveen between the promife and per-
formance.

Here I will fhew (i.) What we are to under-
ftand by the Bethel-w\{\\.%^ that God may allow his
people. (2.) Confider fome of the dark days,
that may follow upon thefe Bethel interviews. (3.)
Confider and explain the promife here made, that
he will not leave them^ till he hath done that which
he hath fpokcn to them cf] notwithftanding the
dark days, that may interveen between the promife
and the accomplifliment. (4.) Offer fonie grounds,
upon which the believer may be ailiirtd, that

God

a performing God, 44.1

God ivill not leave hm^ till he hath done that which
he hath fpoken to him of. (5.) Deduce fome infe-
rences for the application.

The firjl thing propofed, was to fhew, what
we are to underftand by the Bethel-ViiAis God may-
allow his people. In order to this I premife, it
is fure, none are acquainted with what we call a
Bethel-wiHit, except thefe that are, in a peculiar
manner, bleffed of the Lord, as yacol? was, of
whom his father J/aac faid, / have blejjcd him^
and he Jhall be blejjed^ Gen. xxvii. 33. They are
the blelled objeds of God's love, and the bleiled
heirs of the promifes, brought into covenant with
God, and joined to the Lord, by converting grace,
and faving faith. And as none are acquainted
with Bethel-vifits, but thefe that are thus blelTed ;
fo, it is with great variety, that the Lord's people
do enjoy fuch appearances of God. Though they
have not all experience of Bethel-mtQvvitws with
God, in the fame meafure and degree that
Jacob had j yet they have fuch experience of
meeting with God, as are fubftantially the fame.
Whatever difference there may be in circumftan-
ces J yet, they are fuch, as they may call the
place Bethel, the houfe of God, the gate of hea-
ven. I fliall here notice, (i.) The fubftance. (2.)
The ordinary circumilances of fuch interviews
with God, as may be called the Bethel-vlfits.

(i.) The fubftance, or fubftantial part thereof,
is God's gracious meeting with them, fo as they
may have it to fay, the Lord God of the Hebrews
met with us, Exod. iii. 18. And that either in
pubHck ordinances, or in fecret duties, by night,
or by day, in the city, or in the field, and this
meeting with them, has thefe two things efpe-
cially in it, which we find was in Jacob's meet-
ing with God here in Bethel, the one is the mani-

feflation

442 T%e prom'iJt7tg God^

feilation of his glory, and the other is the com-
munication of his mind, (i.) This Beihel-v\£\t
includes a manifeftation of his glory. Jacob here
fees the glory of God in Chrifl reprefented as
the ladder reaching between heaven and e^rth.
Why then, you may call that a Bethel^ wherever
it hath pleafed God to reveal Chrift in you, and
to open your eyes, to fee his glory, in the face of
Jefus Chrift, as the way to the Father, and as
the ladder, by which you may climb up to heaven.
Have you feen at this or any former occafion,
Chrift to be, as it were, the ladder fet upon the
earth in his humiliation, and reaching unto hea-
ven in his exaltation, and fo that all the rounds
and fteps of the ladder are compleated in his in-
carnation, life, death, refurred:ion, afcenfion, and
fitting, at the right hand of God, and by him do
we believe i?t God, ivho raifed him from the dead^
that our faith and hope might be in God F i Pet. i.
21. And have we thus by faith ftepped up the
ladder, or are we on the way ftepping up, as
we can, through grace upon the view of Chrift,
as the only ladder, the only way ? Hath thus the
God, that com?nanded light to fiine out of darknefsy
finned into our hearts, not our heads only, but our
hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of his
glory in the face of Jefus Chriji, fo as our hearts
have gone out after a revealed Chrift ? Why, this
is one fubftantial part of a Bethel-vifit, the mani-
feflation of his glory.

(2.) This Bethel-Yifit includes a communica-
tion of his mind. Jacob here not only hath God
manifefting his glory to him, but alfo communi-
cating his mind as a promiling God, faying, I am
your Father's God, the God of Abraham and
Ifaac, and in teftim.ony, that I will be your God

alfo^

a performing God, 443

alio, I will do, fo and lb, to you, and thus he
communicates his mind to him by promifes of
grace. Why then, you may call that a Beihel-w\-
lit, when God comes and intimates his love, or
communicates his mind, and fpeaks into your
heart by fome word of grace and promife, open-
ing up fome folded leaf of the gofpel to you, and
opening your underllanding to apprehend, and
your heart to apply it, and cauling you to hope in
his word, as yea and amen in Chrift. If God
hath faid a word to your heart, and made you
take him at his word, fo as you can look to him,
and fay. Remember the 'word on "which thou hajl
caufed me to hope, wherever it v/as, you may fay
the name of the place was Bethel, and that you
found him in Bethel, and there he fpake to you,
Hof. xii. 4. Now concerning thefc viiits we may
remark four things.

(i.) That the Lord may allow a Bcthel-niz-
nifeftation and communication to his people, and
yet they may not know that God is prefent with
them, in fuch a manner as he is, till an after re-
flection thereupon. Hence faid yacob here, verfe
16. when he awaked out of his Jleep, furely God
was in this place, and I knew it not. God's peo-
ple may be fo furprifed with his viiits, that tho'
. they cannot but be confcious of his coming, when,
he approaches to them, yet they may not be fure
about the qualities of that vifit, whether it was
a faving divine manifeflation, till they come to
examine and refled: upon it, and find, that it was
none other but the powerful prefence of God. For
they carry their ov/n evidence along with them,
Surely he was here.

(2.) Bethel-widts fill the foul with a holy awe
of God, verfe 17, How dreadful is this place'?

They

444 ^^ promijtng God^

They that will fee God, will fee caufe of holy
trembling and blufhing before him, and the fight
will humble and fill them with holy awe and re-
verence. Saving difcoveries do not elevate and
puff up with pride, but imprefs the foul with
holy dread. The fweet pleafure, and joy that at-
tend the difcovery, is tempered with holy fear and
awe, infomuch that they fear the Lord ajid his
gGodnefsy and rejoice nvith trembling. The place,
where God manifefts himfelf, is both a joyful and
a dreaful place. Praife is the mofi: joyful and de-
lightful exercife ; yet God is faid to be fearful in
praifes, becaufe of the dread and awe of God,
that is on the heart of thofe that praife him, for
great is the glory of the Lord, which they fee,
who fing in the ways of the Lord.

(3.) Divine vifits are not excluded from any
place J even here, where Jacob little thought
of meeting with God, he meets with him, he
finds him in Bethel^ and fays this is the houfe of
God, and the gate of heaven. Wherever we are
in the houfe or field, if we meet with God there,
we may call it the houfe of God and the gate of
heaven, for heaven is in his gracious prefence.

(4.) Divine vifits are quickening, verfe 18. He
rifes early in the morning, and fets about folemn
worfhip of the God that appeared to him. He
fets up the ftone for a pillar, and anoints it as a
memorial of what paft, and gave the place a new
name. As fweet communion we have with God
ought to be remembred ; fo his grant of mercy
calls for our return of duty. Jacob is here alfo
quickened to vow himfelf away to the Lord, and
promile to ferve him ; and indeed our vows and
promifes are then regular and evangelical, when
they are the fruit of God's manifefi:ing himfelf

a perforjning God, 44.5

in the covenant of promife to us, as to yacob here.
For whatever we promife, we can perform nothing,
but in the vertue of his promife to us.

(2.) As to the ordinary circumflances of fuch
Bethel interviews with God. Several of thef©
may be gathered from the hiilory of Jacobs and
will be found to correfpond with the believer's
experience, as in thefe following particulars, (i.)
That in the Lord's ordinary way of dealing, when
he deals effe(5lually with poor fouls, and when he
hath a mind to bring them to a Bethel^ he gene-
rally brings them to a wildernefs, and there deals
powerfully with them, and fpeaks kindly to them.
Thus here, Jacob is in a wildernefs, being banifh-
ed from his father's houfe. Though he was a
fon of the promife, yet he was forced to run to
a ftrange country. God allures his people, and
brings them to a wildernefs, and then fpeaks com-
fortably, gives them the valley of Achor, for a
door of hope. Some here readily have come to
this communion, or the like, and have found
themfelves in a wildernefs of confulion, darknefs
and defpondency, and yet had, e're all was done,
ground to call the place Bethel, by reafon of his
meeting with them, and fpeaking to them.

(2.) The fweeteft difcoveries of God, are rea-
dily ufhered in with the darkeft nights. God's
vifit is ordinarily like the break of the day upon
the back of a dark night. And indeed weeping
may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the
moniifig, Pfalm xxx. 5. As it was literally in the
dark night that God vilited Jacob here, fo you
v/ill fee what a dark night of trouble, diilrefs,
and perplexity Jacob was in, when he met with
God at Pcniel, and wreflled with the angel and
prevailed, Gen. xxxii. 24, Jacob was left alone ;

and

44 6 7^^ promijljig Gody

and there isjrejlkd a man 'with him till the break
of day. He had been before this compafTed with
clouds of fear, on the account of Efau^ who was
meeting him with four hundred men. You, that are
in a dark night of fear and diftrefs, may be en-
couraged to wait on, for readily the Lord ufliers in
manifeftations of himfelf with the darkeft nights.

(3.) As the Lord is pleafed to uflier in fweet
manifeftations of himfelf with a dark night -, fo
readily a dark night follows upon thefe fweet
manifeftations. And many times, they are as a
clear fun-beam before a ftorm, and the people of
God oft find this to their fad experience, making
them fee ground to be ibber after their fweet ex-
periences, facoh had a good night in Bethel, but
new ftraits followed upon it, particularly in the
hard fervice and harfti treatment he met with
from Label?!. Here is a viftt, and prefently fol-
lows a night of trouble again. We mention this,
not for your difcouragement, but that you may
not be furprized, for there may be a fudden turn
in your fpiritual aff"airs, I faid my mountain Jiands
firong, but thcu difi hide thy face, and I was
troubled.

(4.) Sometimes the night that follows upon the
Lord's manifefting himfelf may be darker, and
the darknefs of it greater, than the night they had
before their Beihel-mim£i^^2lion. Jacob was in
a ftrait before the Bethel viftt, through the fear
of Efau ', but after that kindly viftt, the ftrait was
greater, and the night darker, while he had not
only the fear, but the feeling of hahan% difplea-
fure : perhaps you had a dark night, before the
Lord paid you a viftt -, but what if a darker night
ftiall follow upon that vifit, even fome grievous
temptation to raze all again. The church was

brought

a perfonnhig God, 447

brought to the hajiqiietmg houfcy and his bmmer over
her was love j yet, afterwards to the dark fhadow,
where fhe cries, I fought him, but I found him not.
What a fweet communion had the difciples with
Chrift, at the laft fupper ! yet, followed with the
darkeft night of temptation, trouble, and fcatter-
ing : the fhepherd of Ifrael himfelf being fmitten,
the iheep were fcattered. When the Lord allows
you fweet Bethel bleffings, you may miflake
them, and think they bode nothing, but a life
of joy and comfort, henceforth, and that former
trials are at an end, and yet, they may be, only
preparations for approaching trials, and encour-
agements to faith, and hope, under future troubles.
This leads me to

The fecond thing propofed ; which was to
ihew, what dark and difmal days may follow up-
on thefe Bethel difcoveries. There are thefe fol-
lowing dark days, or rather dark nights, that may
follow upon Bethels \{i\.'i. (i.) A dark night of
long abfence, a night of weary defertion may fol-
lov/. facob had not, for twenty years, fuch a
night, as he had at Bethel : there may be long
twenty years travel between Bethel ' ^ind Peniel.
May be, you had much heavenly-warmnefs by a
live coal from the altar, when God manifefted
himfelf, and you got a heart to clofe with Chrifl.
The place was like a heaven upon earth to you ;
but perhaps many a weary day you have had fince
that time. May be you have never had fuch a
gale fince that time. Or if this communion hath
been a Bethel to you, think it not ftrange, tho' a
night of abfence and hiding may follow, and tho'
the night be long.

(2.) A dark night of forgetfulnefs may follow -
upon the Bethel-Vi^it^ fo, as it is hard to know how

fecure

44-8 ^^ promiJi7tg God^

fecure people may grow, and they may lofe the
fweet impreflion of the vifit, and have little or no
kindly rem.embrance of the fweet days, they
had at Bethel. This dark night followed upon
Jacob's meeting with God here ; it feems lie had
much forgotten it, till God put him in mind of
it, faying. Gen. xxxi. 13. / am the God of Bethel^
'where thou anomtedfi the pillar^ atid vowcdft the
'VOW. Jacobs might he fay, do you not mind the
time, do you not mind the place, do you not
mind the two pillars ? ' Do you not mind the
promife ? Do you not mind the Bethel^ where I
ihewed my covenant to thee, and accepted thy
vows unto me ? Be not difcouraged with the fear
of Laban, behind purfuing you, and EJau, be-
fore meeting you ; it is enough, to drive all fears
and difcouragements away, that / am the God of
Bethel; I am the fame God now, that I was at
that day to you : however, facob had loft the
fweet impreffion, and loft the kind remembrance
of Bethel, till God himfelf was the remembrancer.
In the dark night of oblivion, all may go out of
fight, and be forgot.

(3,) A dark night of temptations, fears, and
difcouragements may follow upon a fweet Bethel-
vifit. The gracious encouragement, that God
gave to Jacob afterwards, fhews what fears and
difcouragements he was under, under which he
was ready to fink, if God had not fupported and
comforted him from time to time. Well, even
after a Bethel-viCit you may be grievoully tempted,
to call all that you met with but a delufion ; yea,
to think that it was fatan, that was working with
thee, and not the living God ; and to think that
thy coming to a communion-table, was but a
taking a feal of thy own condemnation. Some

may

a pej" forming God, 449

may be tempted to fear, that God hath a contro-
vci iy with them, and to think, that he hath caft
off all care and concern about them, and does
not notice their affliction. It feems, this was ^
part of the dark night that came upon Jacob ;
and therefore God (hews him, that it was an ill-
grounded jealoufy j Foi', fays he, I have feen all
that Laban hath dene to thee. Gen. xxxi. 12.
Though thou waft not fenfible of my care, yet I
have, all this time, had a fpecial care about thee,
and increafed thy ftock, notwithflianding what
Laban did. It is hard to believe the divine care
in a dark day, wherein we apprehend his dif-
pleafure ; and yet, when he returns, he can make
us fee he had a fpecial care of us, when we wift
not of it ; and that he hath been doing all things
well, even when we were fearing all thefe things
were againfl: us.

(4.) A dark night of want and ftraits may
follow upon Bethel-viCits, both outward and
inward wants, temporal wants, fuch as Jacob
mentions, when he complained, that Laban had
changed his wages ten times, Gen. xxxi. 41,
Spiritual wants, and wants of comfort, fuch as
Jacob was under, when, in his ftrait, he could
draw no comfort, even from an old Bethel, till
God gave him a new vilit, by telling him, that
he was the God of Bethel. Think not ftrange,
though, upon the back of Bethei-vifitSy you be put
to great ftraits outward and inward, and perhaps
can draw no comfort from a back-look upon Be-
thel J for whenever you can draw comfort and
encouragement from it, you may reckon it a new
vifit, when in a dark day, you can remember
him from the land of Jordan, and remember what
Gcd did to thee at fuch a time.

Gg (S-) A

450 The promt fing Cody

(5.) A dark night of perfecution, even by
friends and brethren, may follow upon Bethel-
vifitSj as Jacob found after this vifit, when perfe-
cuted by Laban his father-in-law, and Efau his
brother, that was conceived in the fame womb
with him, though God mercifully reftrained their
anger, and fury, that they got not their will of
yacob ; For the wrath of man JJmll praife GcJ, and
the remainder thereof he will refirain. Think not
flrange then, even after jBf/M-meetings with God,
though you fliould be tried with a dark night of
perfecution, even from envious friends and falfe
brethren. The church and fpoufe of Chrift fpeaks
of a Bethel^ Song i. 4. T^he King has brought me
into his chambers^ we will be glad and rejoice in thee 5
and yet a hot and fcorching perfecution followed,
n)erfe 6. The fun hath looked upon me. Why? my
mother s children were angry with me. There is hard-
ly any perfecution more grievous and violent, than
that of angry brethen ^ but they are under a re-
ftraint, they can go no further than God permits ;
only we need not think ftrange to fee church per-
fecutions, even after Bethel-viHts.

(6.) A dark night of back-Hiding and relapfe
into former unwatchfulnefs, fecurity and floth may
follow upon the Bethel-vifitj though it was folemn-
ly renounced at Bethel, facob feems to have been
under a lamentable decay, as to the exercife of
faith that once he had at Bethely till once God re-
turned and quickned him again. Chrifl laid to
his difciples after the communion, Te fall all be
cffhidedy becaufe of me this night \ ye fliall all turn
your backs upon me, you may lamentably relapfe
into thefe iins, that were renounced. I know not
your particular cafe, but it hath been tlie fad ex-
perience of God's remnant. You may relapfe to

the

a perfor7ning God, 451

the omifTion of known duty, yea, to the embrace-
ment of known idols, the very thing that parted
between God and you. This is a fad and forrow-
ful night, that you need to take care you bring
not upon yourfelves through unwatchfulnefs, in fo
provoking the Lord to anger with you, as he was
with Solomo7i^ i Kings xi. 9. It is faid, the Lord
was angry with him^ becaiife his heart turned from
the Lord God of Ifrael, which had appeared to hint
twice. What a fad matter is it, if after a BetheU
interview with God, you turn your back upon the
God of Bethel I Will you alfo go away P

(7.) A dark night of ftrange difpenfations may
follow upon B^-Z^^f /-interviews. Various trials, ups
and downs, fuch as was in Jacob's lot, between
the time of £f/Z>^/-promifes and P^;z/V/-performan-
ces thereof, facob did not want chaftifements. If
his children break my law^ I will vifit their traif-
greJjio?Js with rods^ and their ifiiqidties with f ripe s j
neve?'thelefs my loving kijidnefs will I not utterly take
frofn hii7iy nor fuffer my faithfulnefs to fail. God
may cover your table at Bethel, but behold ! after-
wards, the ordinary means of relief may fail you,
as it was with Jacob in Lahans family, even fo
the means of fpiritual relief may fail you. You
may go to fermons, and return as dark as before.
You may go to your clofet, and that mean may
fail you. You may go to publick ordinances and
facraments, and thele means may fail you. Tho'
at Bethel you, may be,' thought, O I will never be
what I have been, I will never do as I have done,
I will never doubt nor fear any more ; yet all tnis
may be out of light, and the comforter^ that Jlmdd
relieve your foul, may be far from you. Lam. i. 16.
Strange difpenfations may befal you. All Gods

G g 2 waves

452 T^he promt Jing God^

'Waves and billows may pafs over you, a?id deeps call
unto deeps J Pfalm xlii. 7.

(8.) A dark night of perplexities, amidfl thefe
ilrange difpenfations, may follow upon Bethel-
interviews. Thus it was with Jacobs before he
came off from habaii^ houfe, he knew not what
to do, till the Lord dire6ted him to arije and return
to the land of his kindred^ Gen. xxxi. 13. You
may come to fuch a night of perplexities, that
you know not what to do, or what hand to turn
you to. You may come to look upon yourfelf as
in a perifhing condition, and to fay, your Jlrength
and hope is perijhed from the Lord. Rejnembring
your afilBion and mifery^ the 'worm'wood and the
gall. Lam. iii. 18, 19. What fliall I fay? May
we not obferve with fear and trembling, that fome,
who have met with God, have afterwards come
under dreadful dark clouds both in point of fin
and of mifery ? Some have been fo far left to fin
after manifeftatlons, as defervedly to be called de-
vils : Peter got fuch a difcovery of God in Chrift,
that the Lord fays to him, Bleffed art thou Simon
Bar-fona : flejld and blood hath not revealed thefe
things to thee, but iny Father that is in heaven. Yet
infi:antly Peter is left fo far to fin, that Chrift
fays to him, Get thee behind me fat an j thou favour efi
not the things that be of God, Matt. xvi. 17, 23.
And what think you of his denying his mafi:er
with curfes ? Let us not imagine, they are. all
ilrangers to 5^/Zv/-interviews with God that deny,
or do not zealoufly own the caufe and intereft of
Chrift at this day. But let us fear and tremble
to confider, how far the children of God may be
left to depart from him and his way, in a dark
time, and in a day of temptation. It is poffible,
that good men may be ivft to fin, and to juftify

their

a performing God. 453

their fin. I will be loath to iliy, that they are all
wicked men, that juftify their finful proceedings
in publick matters at this day, and that juftify
their perfecuting rage and anger at their brethren,
when I confider how 'Jonah juHified his anger a-
gainft God, iliying, / do well to be angry. So it
is pofTible, that even fome that have met with God
may juftify their anger at their brethren, faying,
TVe do uuell to be angry even unto deaths and angry
even to fufpenfion, depoiition, excommunication.
I hope none need be offended, If I have charity
for fome that are of that opinion, through their ig-
norant zeal, while carried away, \\^^Barnabas^ with
the diffimulations of the day, and whofe eyes God
will open in due time, to fee that their anger was
as jU founded as that oi JonaJj?,. For if ever God
met with them at Bethel^ v/hen he is pleafed to
return, their eyes will readily be opened, and they
will fee, they did ill to be angry with their brethren,
who were contending for the rights of their mo-
ther's houfe : yea, another merciful turn upon
their hearts will make them fay, as Jacob'?, fons
once did of Jofephy We have verily been guilty cofz-
cerning our brother. So we hope of fome, if ever
they have met with God at Bethel^ furely, upon
the Lord's return, they will regret their mifcar-
riage, and fay. We have been guilty concerning
our brother. However, as fome that have met
with God may come under dreadful clouds of fin,
(for we are not to unfaint them all, and every one
that are carried down the flream of defediion,
though we are to have no charity for their ways,
yet let us not meddle with their flate, till we fee,
if God fhall reclaim them) fo in point of mifery,
fome, that have met with God, may be put to fay,
O he breaks me with breach upon breach, and

G g 3 runs

454 ^^^ promijtng God^

runs upon me like a giant j yea, while fufferlng
his terrors, they have in a manner been diftrafted,
and fometimes curfed the day wherein they were
born. Thus you fee what dark days, may follow
upon • ^^//'^/-interviews with God ; and yet, after
all, the promife ftands good to all the feed of
Jacob, that have met with God at BetJxl. He "will
not leave them:, till he hath done that which he hath
fpoken to them of.

The third general head propofed was to con-
iider and explain this promife, / ivill not leave thee,
till I have done that which I have fpoken to thee of .
For explaining hereof, there are thefe following
queflions. (i.) How God fpeaks to his people?
(2.) How he doth, or accompliflieth, that which he
hath fpoken to them of? (3,) When is it that he
will do that which he hath promifed ? (4.) Wfiat
is the import of this priviledge, that he will not
leave them? (5.) In what fenfe it is faid, he will
not leave them, till he hath done what he hath
promifed ?

Firji, How God fpeaks to his people, when
they have a Bethel-vifit of him ? I anfwer, in a
few words, (i.) He fpeaks divinely, he fpeaks
like himfelf, letting them know that it is he that
fpeaks : as Chrifl faid to the woman of Samaria,
John iv. 26. I that fpeak to thee, am he 'y fo fays
he here to facob, It is I that fpeak to thee, I will
7iot leave thee, till I have done that which I have
jpoken. Never man fpake like this man : man's
fpeaking only reaches the ear, but God's fpeaking
reaches and touches the heart. Hence (2.) He
fpeaks powerfully, as it is faid of Chrift, Ue fpake
as one having authority, and not as the Scribe^ : fo
when the Lord fpeaks, there is power and autho-
rity accompanying the w^ord, either in its firfl

coming,

a performing God, 455

coming, or in its after-working, upon the heart.
I Thef.n. 13. Te 7'eceivcd the word, not as the word
of man, but, as it is, in truth, the word of God,
which worketh effcBually in you that believe. (3.)
He Ipeaks particularly as here to facob, I will not
leave thee, till I have done that which I havefpoketi .
to thee of People may hear the word delivered
in general to all the congregation ; but it doth
them no good, till they hear it in particular fpo-
ken to them. Then God calls the perlbn by name,
and fays, To thee I fpeak, and the heart fays, It
is to me that God is fpeaking. O ! hath God
fpoken to thee man, to thee woman } (4.) He
fpeaks kindly and comfortably. Hof.n.i^, I will
allure her, and bring her to the wilder Jtefs ; a?id then
fpeak comfortably to her. His kindnefs in fpeaking
appears moil evidently, when it is in a wildernefs
that he communicates himfelf: every word, he
fpeaks to facob here, is a word of kindnefs. O
the light, life, ftrength and comfort, that the
word brings, when God fpeaks it ! He hath a view
both to their prefent comfort and their future fup-
port, when he fpeaks with them in Bethel. (5.) He
fpeaks plainly, and not in parables ; for he opens
their underftandings to apprehend, and their hearts
to apply ; for to them it is given to know the myjleries
<f the kingdom of heaven ; to others it is not given.
Matt. xiii. 1 1. The word of grace is a fealed book,
till the lion of the tribe of fudah open the feal,
(6.) He fpeaks fuitably to their cafe, for he hath
the tongue of the learned, to fpeak a word in feafon
to the weary, Ifa. 1. 4. He fuits his words here to
facob' ^ weary cafe, as I fliewed in the explication.
He gives them a word that fuits their difficulties.
Sometimes they have difficulty about this, and
fometimes about that and the other affair, and

G g 4 they

456 "The promif.ng Gody

they come with their burdens before the Lord,
and he prefents a word to them relative to it.
Sometimes they are burden'd about their provifion ;
and he gives a word for that : Bi^ead fiall be given
thee, and thy water pall be jure. They are bur-
dened with fears of danger ; and they get a word
for that : Fear not for I am with thee : the eternal
God is thy refuge. Sometimes they want direction ;
and get a word for that : / will bring the blind by a
nsjay that they htew not, I will lead them in paths that
they have not known j / will make darkjiefs light be--
fore them, and crooked things ftraight. They want
the fpirit \ and they get a word for that : I will put
my fpir it within you, and the water that 1 give Jloall
be in you a well of water, fpringing up to everlajling
life. They want ftrength for duty or trial ; and
they get a word for that : My grace fiall be fuficicnf
for thee, and my /Jrength foall be made perfedl in thy
weaknefs. They want pardon ; and they get a
word for that : I even, I am he, that blotteth out thy
tranfgreffions for mine own fake, and will not remem-
ber thyfns. They want to have iin fubdued and
mortified ; and they get a word for that : ^in Jhall
not have dominion over you. They want fomething
for the church 3 and they get a word for that :
Tljat the wall fall be built in perilous times, that
at evening time it fiall be light, and upon all the glo-
ry there (hall be a defence. They want a bleffing
for their children ; and they get a v/ord for that :
/ will be thy God, and the God of thy feed, &c.

The fecond queftion here was, how he doth
what he hath fpoken to them ? I will do what I
have fpoken of to thee. Why (i.) He will doit
faithfully. Not a word fall fail of what he hath
fpoken. Jofh. xxi. laft. The hiftory o{ Jacob fliews,-
how faithfully God accompliflied his promife, and

a performt7ig God, 457

all that he fpoke to him, and he hath faithfulnefs
for the girdle- of his loins. God is not man^ that
hcfiould lie^ not the Jon of man that he jlmdd repent.
He will do what he hath fpoken, furely, and cer-
tainly, ■ l^he vijion fiall [peak, it JJ:aU Jiirely come.
(2.) As he will do certainly wliat he hath fpo-
ken, fo he will do it wonderfully, and he will
work wonders before he do it not, Hea'ven and
earth Jhall pafs a'way, before one jot of hi sword fall to
the ground. And it is in a very marvellous and
myllerious way, that God doth accomplifli his
word, through a world of dark difpenlations, thro*
fre and water he brings to a wealthy land. Though
impaflable mountains be in the way 3 yet he will
come, and do what he hath faid, and give his peo-
ple occaiion to fay when he comes. It is the voice
of my beloved y behold he cometh fkipping upon the moun-
tains, leaping upon the hills. (3.) He will do
what he hath fpoken, and do it remarkably. Thus
he did what he faid to Jacob ; and if the believer
may put a remark upon the Bethel-yiiit, when he
comes to promife ; much more upon the Peniel-
vifit, when he comes to perform what he hath
promifed. In the Bethel-viiity we fee him by faith
in his word : but in the Peniel-vKit we fee him by
fenfe in his work : for then he not only fays, but
does what he hath faid, and fhews himfelf face
to face. (4.) When he doth what he hath fpo-
ken, he doth it furprifingly. Jacob was not ex-
pecting fuch a way of God's accomplifhing his
word, Pfalm cxxvi. i. When the Lord turned back
the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
He fweetly furprizes when he comes to do what
he hath fpoken : T^hen was our mouth filled with
laughter, and our tongues with fongs 3 the Lord hath
done great things for us whereof we are glad. Again

(5-)

45^ The promt fi?tg God ^

(5.) When he doth what he hath fpoken, he doth
it glorioufly. His glory lliines in all his works,
and elpecialiy in accomplifliing his promiles, that
are yea and amen in Chrijl. He makes the glory
of his wiidom, power and holinefs, the glory of his
mercy, truth and faithfulnefs to fhine in the ac-
complifliment, he doth more than he hath fpoken,
and is better than his word, £aW. xv. i. When
God accomplilhed his promife of delivering Jfrael
out of Egypt, and out of the hand of Pha7'cab
and his hoft, then their voices was lifted up, fay-
ing, I IV ill fing unto the Lord : for he hath triumph-
ed ghrioiify. (6.) When he doth what he hath
fpoken, he doth it fcafonably : Hab. ii. 3. The
luifion is for an appointed time, but at the end it fl:all
fpeak and ?iot lye : though it tarry, wait for it : be-
eaufe it ivill fitrely come, it will not tarry. It will
not tarry beyond the appointed time, nor beyond
tlie proper time, and therefore let faith wait upon
a faithful God, who will do as he hath faid. This
leads to

The third queftion. When is it that he will do
what he hath fpoken to them of? You may take
the anfwer of this in tlie following particulars,
(i.) Somethings he hath fpoken relate to a day
of trouble -, and when that day comes, he will do
what he hath fpoken to them of: Ffahn xci. 15.
J will be with him in trouble, I will deli'ver him, and
honour him. Hence his people never enjoy more
of his prefence and pity, than in days of tribula-
tion and afflidion. And fometimes he lets the
trouble come to an extremity, before he fenfibly
accomplifh his promife of help. Ffahn cxvi. 6.
/ was brought low, and l?e helped me.

(2.) Some things that he hath fpoken to them
of relate to a day of temptation : and when that

comes.

a performing GocL 459

comes, then he will do what he hath fpoken. He
hath faid, Rom. xvi. 20. T^he God of peace iviil
truifefata?t under your feet Jl:)ortly . He hath faid,
I Cor. X. 13. That he is faithful^ and 'will not fuffer
them to be tempted above 'what they are able to bear j
but ivith the temptation will make a way to efcape.
And hence it is, for ordinary, in a time of great
and grievous temptation, he opens fome door by
which they efcape from time to time, while they
wait upon him.

(3.) Some things that he hatli fpoken relate to
a day of work, of great work that he puts into
their hand j and when that day comes, he doth
that which he hath fpoken. He hath faid. That
he works in us both to will and to do of his good pie a-
fure^ Phil. ii. 13. He hath faid that he will
jirengthen^ he will uphold with the right-hand of his
rightcoufnefs, Ifa. xli. 10. And hence it is, that
his people can fometimes fay with Paul, I can do
all things through Chrift jirengthning me. Thd we
are not fuficient of ourfehes, to think any thing as
of our f elves ^ yet our fuf/iciency is of God. And hence
the church, Ifa. xxvi. 12. Thou haft wrought all
our works in us. And David, Pfalm Ivii. 2. I will
cry unto God moft high, unto God that performeth all
things for 7?ie.

(4.) Some things that he hath fpoken of relate
to a day of warfare : and when that day of bloody
battle comes, he doth that which he hath fpoken.
He hath faid, concerning this, even he who is the
Captain of falvation, the Lord mighty in battle hath
faid, for the encouragement of his foldiers, JVIjo
go a ^warfare upon their own charges f i Cor. ix. 7.
He is theftrength of their fahation, that covers their
head in the day of battle, Pfalm cxl. 7. And hence
it is, that, according to his word, his people are

faid

460 T'he promifi7tg Godj

faid always to triumph In Chriji yefuSj and to be
mere than conquerors. See FJhhn xviil. 30, 32, 34.
^he 'word of the Lord is tried : he is a buckler to
all thcfe that triifi in him. It is God that girdeth me
-with Jlre?igih : he teaches my hands to war, a^id
bows of Jicel are broken by mine arms. All their
ability to lland in a day of trial and dangers flows
from this.

(5.) Some things he hath Tpoken of relate to
the day of death : and when that comes, he will
do what he hath fpoken to them. He hath faid,
Death Jhall be fwallowed up in 'viBor\\ i Cor. xv.
54. He hath faid, Hof. xiii. 14. I will ranfom them
from the power of the grave : I will redeem them from
death'. 0 death , I will be thy plagues, O grave, I will
be thy defruBion. And hence it is, that as all belie-
vers in Chrifl are bleifed in death, for blefji'd are
the dead that die in the Lord, a?id thatfleep in Jefus j
fo fome believers have got the fenlible and com-
fortable view of this, even when paffing through
that valley between time and eternity, and have
fallen a iinging in the midft of the valley, and
faying, O death, where is thy fting^ 0 grave, where
is thy viohry F "Thanks be to God, which giveth us
the vi^ory through our Lord Jefus Chrifl. Though
I walk through the valley of the fhadow of death, I
will fear no evil ; for thou art with me, thy rod and
thy faff they comfort me. With the flaff of the
promife in their hand, they walk through Jordan
dry iliod. And when the foul is feparated from
the body, then it enters into the reft, that remains
for the people of God, according to what he hath
ipoken.

(6.) Some things he hath fpoken relate to a
day of Judgment ; and when that day comes, then
he will do what he hath fpoken to them of He hath

faid

a perform! ;jg God. 461

faid four times in one chapter ; namely, yohn vi.
'That he ivill raife them up at the laft day,-, and i
Thcjj. iv. clofe, That if we belie'uey that jcjus died,
and roje again^ e^cai fo^ upon the fame ground, and
with the fame certainty, them that feep in Jefus
will God bring with him \ and that the dead in Chrijl
Jhall rife frfiy and meet the hord in the air j and
fofall they ever be with the Lord. He hath faid,
I Cor. XV. 52. 77?^/, in a moment^ in the twink-
ling of an eye^ at the found cf the laft ti-ump^ the
dead jhall be raifed incorruptible. That this corrup-
tible ft: all put on incorrupt ion y this 7no?'tal fall put on
immortality. He hath faid. Col. iii. 4. When ke
who is our life fall appear ^ we fall appear with him
in glory. He hath laid, F hi lip iii. clofe, That he
will change our "-die bodies^ and make them like his
glorious body^ according to the workings whereby he
is able to fubdue all things to himfelf He hath faid.
That the faints fall enter into the J'oy of their Lord^
and fall judge the world.

What I have faid, may give fome light to the
queftion, V/hen will he do what he hath fpoken
to his people ? He will do all that he hath fpoken,
partly here, and perfedly hereafter. He hath
promifed eternal life to the believer : He that be-
lieveth on the Son, hath everlafting life. This he
doth in part here, and to perfecftion hereafter; and
we may appeal to every believer of any ftanding,
if the promife of heaven and glory be not, even
in part, allowed him here by a perfonal polTeffion.
He is poffelTed of heaven, not only, i. By union
to Chrift, fo as is head is in heaven, Chrift the
fore-runner having taken poiTeffion, and gone to
prepare the place for him ; fo that hefts with him
in heavenly places-, but alfo, 2. By communion he
hath fome perfonal poffeflion, if you confider

what

462 The promiJi?tg God^

what heaven is. Is heaven a ftate of light, per-
fe6l hght ? The behever hath the begun poffeffion
of this, in fo far as he hath the light of the know-
ledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jefus Chrift.
Is heaven a ftate of hberty, perfedt hberty ? The
behever hath the begun poffeffion of this, in fo
far as, at any time, his bands are loofed, and the f pi r it
of God is poured out upon him : where the fpirit of
the Lord is, there is liberty. Is heaven a ftate of
love, perfect love ? The believer hath the begun
poffeffion of this, in fo far as the lo've of God is fied
abroad in his hearty by tlx Holy Ghoji ; and the
love of Chriji confiraineth him to duty and fervice.
Is heaven a ftate of perfect holinefs ? The believer
hath the begun poffeffion of this, in fo far as he
is fanBified in Chriji fefus, and going on to perfec-
tion-, yea, is already perfe(flly holy in delire. Is
heaven a ftate of perfe(5t joy ? The believer hath
this alfo in begun poffeffion, when he \s filed with
joy a?id peace in believing ; yea fometimes with joy
iinfpeakablc and fidl of glory , Is heaven a ftate of
triumph and vidory ? The believer hath the be-
gun poffeffion of this, when he boafts in the Lor^,
and fays, 'Thanks be to God, which always caufes us
to triumph in Chrift, Is heaven a place of praife
and wonder at the grace of God, and the glorious
perfedions of God ? The believer hath the begun
poffeffion of this alfo, when fometimes his heart
is filled with the high praife of God, and filled
with wonder at his matchlefs love and diftinguifli-
ing grace. He would invite all the world to won-
der and praife. Yet O what a fmall portion of
heaven hath he here, in comparifon of what he
will have ! He jl:all drink of the 7'iver of pleafure
for ever. Yet that part he enjoys here, is the earn-
eft of the full poffeffion, and the evidence that
i he

a performing God. 463

lall do all that he hath Jphn to them oj\ concern-
ing grace and glory ^ and every good thing.

The fourth queflion was, What,. is the import
of this privilege, I ivill not leave thee^ until I have
done that which I havefpoken to thee ojl Why, how-
can it be faid he will not leave them, when yet,
after Bethel-vifits, and 5d'//jt'/-promifes, given them,
they may meet with fuch dark nights, as I have
been fpeaking of? For clearing this fubjed, there
are tliefe two remarks I would offer.

(i.) Remark is, that there are fome refped:s
wherein God may be faid to leave people, as (i.)
when he takes away his word, his candlcftick,
his ordinances, and_ brings a famine not of bread
and water, but of the word of the Lord, Amos
viii. II, 12. This is the woril famine in the
world. (2.) When he takes away his fpirit and
commands the clouds to rain no rain, I/a. v. 6.
This is a fearful leaving ; for though the word
and ordinances remain 5 yet, if the fpirit be gone,
tlien the word can do no good, it hath no power
to convince or convert, to confirm or comfort.
(3.) When he takes away his ear, and doth not
regard their prayers ; when he doth not fuffer
them to pray, nor anfwer their prayers, but fliuts
them ^oMtyyLofnent' iii- 8. (4.) When he takes
av/ay his hand, his help and afiiftance, and
leaves perions to themfelves, to their own lufts
and counfels, PJalm Ixxxi. ii,- My people would
not hfarken, Ifrael itm.dd have, none of me:, therefore
I gave them up to their own hearts lifis j and tlyey
walked after their own counfels. O a fad leaving \
but then the - v ^

(2.) Remark I ^[^fFer, is, that there are fome
refpe^ts, wherein Go4 will not leave his people.
Thus (i.) He will, .never leave them really,

but

464 "^he promiftng Godj

but in appearance. And hence they many times
think and fear he is gone, when he is really
prefent, Verily^ God was in this place^ aiid I knew
it Jiot, fays yacob. (2.) He never leaves them
abfoliitcly, but in fome refped: : he may leave
them in refpe6t of the influence of grace, the'
he doth not leave them as to the prefence of grace.
He may leave them in refpeft of comfort ; tho*
he may allow the influences of grace, yet he may
deny the comfort of grace. He may leave them
in refpe6t of aflifliance j though he may allow
them the comfort of grace, yet he may deny
them that affiftance and flrength they want, and
alfo the fenfible anfwer of their prayers. (3.)
He never leaves them totally, but in fome degree.
He may leave them to be buffeted by fatan -, but
will not leave them to be overcome by fatan. And
he may leave them to be buffetted and captiva-
ted by ftrong corruptions ; though he doth not
leave them to be conquered thereby. (4.) He
never leaves them finally, but for fome time : he
may hide his face for a little mojnent^ but with e'-jcr-
lafting kindnefs will he have mercy en them^ Ifa,. liv.
7, 8. He will never leave them, fo as to forget
to do what he hath fpcken to them of.

This promife then, / will not leave thee, it fays,
that fomething of God is ever with them, and in
them. They have in them, a well of water, fpring-
ing lip to €verlafti?ig life, John iv. 14. God
Ibves to abide, Vv-here once he comes, I will not
leave thee. It fays alfo, that he v/ill not flay
away : though he hides himfelf out of fight, he
wqll not be long abfent. It fays, that in what-
ever refped: he may be faid to leave them for a
while, yet he will return to their joy, John xvi. 22.
Now you have for rcw ; but I will fee you again, and

your

n performing God, 465

'joiir heart flail rejoice^ and your joy no man taketh
from you. It fays, there are Ibme" things, God will
never deprive them of, never take away from
them. He will never take away his love and fa-
vour, for he hath loved them with an everlajiing love.
He will never take away his covenant of peace and
of promife from them, l^he mount aim jhall depaj-'ty
and the hills he removed j hut my kindnefi flmll not
depar't from thee^ neither Jljall the covenant of my
peace he removed^ Ifa. liv. 10. I will never leave
thee^ nor for Jake thee ^ Heb. xiii. 5.

The fifth queftion is, in what fenfe is it faid
of facoh^ and of all the fpiritual feed of jacob^
that God will not leave them, until he hath done
that, which he hath fpoken to them of? To ex-
plain this a little further, I flrall fliow, (i.) In
what fenfe, we are to underftand this interim pro-
mife I will i2ot leave thee. (2.) In what fenfe we
are to underftand this particle tmtil^ wliich feems
to point at a period of this promife.

(i.) In what fenfe are we to underftand this
interim promife, / will not leave thee f Why ?
Whatever way he may be faid to leave his people,
yet, (i.) He will never leave them godlefs, but
will flill be their God : for his covenant with
them is, 1 will be thy God : they can never be
fo far left, but that God is flill their God, and
they may Hill go to him as their God. (2. J He
will never leave them chrifliefs : He hath 2;iveii
Chrift the unfpeakahle gift of God to them, and he
will never. recall that gift j For the gifts and call-
ing of God are without repentance : they (hall ilill
hnye Chrijl in them the hope of glory. Hence £3 i)
He will never leave them fpiritlefs : he hath given
his fpirit to you, that are believers, and this a-
nointing which you have received of him, abides

H h in

466 Hoe promtfeng Gody

in you, John xiv. 16. I will pray the Father^ and
he Jhall give you another comforter, that he may abide
with you for ever. The fpirit may be hid in the
believer, but never abfent. (\,) Hence he will
never leave them comfortlefs, johnxiv. 18. I will
not leave you comfortlefs, I will come to you. How-
ever the ftreams of their comforts may be abated,
yet the fpring of comfort flill remains ; and hence
the well of confolation now and then fprings up.
( ^.) He will never leave them helplcfs, but flill
be to them a prefent help in time of trouble : even
when they have deftroyed them^felves, yet in him
is their help. He helps their infirmities, when
they cannot pray. He helps them up, when they
are down. He helps them forwa d when behind.
(6.) He will not leave them hopelefs, even when
they are faying, my hope is perijhec from the Lord ;
yet he opens to them a door of hope in the val-
ley of Achor. They are never agai.u without God,
and without hope in the world. Their hope lives.
Yea ("].) He will not leave theM faithlefs : For
he hath prayed for them, that their faith fail not.
Their faith may indeed langr'fii, and be like to
give up the Ghoft, as that of tue difciples, when
they faid, we trufted, that it had been he which fhoidd
have redeemed Ifrael : but now we doubt of this
fundamental article of our creed. But when their
faith was jufl at the failing, the Lord Jefus re-
Itored and revived it. C^.) He will not leave
them friendlefs and fatherlefs : he is a friend that
fticks clofer than a brother, and as a father pi-
ties his children, fo the Lord pities them : as a fa-
ther chaflifes his children, fo the Lord chaflifeth
them : as a father provideth for his children, fo
the Lord provideth for them, that they may not
be in total want, between the promife, and the

time

a performing God, 467

time of the performance. Thus he will not leave
theniy until he hath done that which he hath fpokcn to
them of. He will not leave dealing with them.
He will not leave bleffing of them, he will not
leave guiding of them, and guarding of them, he
will not leave making all things working together
, for good to them, and working for the accom-
plishment of his promife.

(2.) In what fenfe, are we to underftand this
particle until, which feems to point at a period
of this interim promife ? Surely, the meaning is
not, that when he hath done that which he hath
fpoken to them of, then he will leave them j but
rather, that they will no more need fuch an
encouraging word as this, / will never leave thee :
for then, they will be free of all fears of his leav-
ing them. But the word imports, (i.) That there
may be a good time between the promife, and the
accomplifhment, between the time of God's
fpeaking to them, and the time of his doing what
he hath fpoken. There was twenty years dif-
tance between thefe two in Jacob' ^ cafe. (2.) It
imports, that in this interval, God is carrying on
his work, I will not leave thee, until I have done if ,
Saying and doing, is all one to God, he fpeaks
the word, and it is done, and when he hath fpoken
the word, it is always a-doing, till it be done
compleatly. (3.) It imports, that though he be
flill carrying on his work, yet it may be hid from
our eyes, what way he is doing it ; and though we
may fufpedt, on this account, that God has left us,
and left his work, when w^e do not fee him with
us, nor fee what he is doing j yet, he is not ab-
fent, when he is delaying the accomplifhing of
his word to our fenfe and feeling, but only taking
his own time and his own way, whofe ways are in-

H h 2 finitely

468 The fromijtng Godj

finitely higher than our ways, and his thoughts thaft
our thoughts. (/\..) It imports, that this interval of
time, wherein God is carrying on his work, tho'
in a way hid from our eyes, is the time of faith,
wherein wc are called to wait upon a promillng
God, believing, that not only he will be a per-
forming God in due time, to our fenlible feeling
and experience j but that he is a performing God,
at prefent, making all intervening providences, fo
many fteps towards the accomplifliment of his
word, tho' to carnal fenfe and reafon, they may
feem to be fo many lets and impediments to hin-
der the accomplifliment thereof. Jofeph had it re-
vealed to him, once and again, that he would be
lord over his brethren, and that all the family
fhould yield obeyfance to him. How was this
accompliflied ? Why, he is thrown into a pit, he
he is fold into Egypt for a Have, and afterwards he
is caft into a prifon : thefe feemed all fo many
lets and obftru6tions, in the way of fuch advance-
ment. How could faith keep its hold here ? unlefs
it fliould fliut its eye upon providences, and open
its eye upon the promife, and keep it fixed upon a
promifing God, and then it would fee all thefe
ieeming lets to be fo many fteps towards the ac-
complifliment of the promife, / will not leave thee^
till I have done what I have fpoken -, therefore, let
faith fee, and believe, that I am flill carrying on
my work, and doing what I promifed, whatever
fecret hidden ways I take, to bring about my coun-
fel, Tarn fliill doing, and will 7iot leave thee, till I
have done what I have fpoken to thee of.

The fourth general head propofed was. To
offer fome grounds of the doctrine, upon which
the believer may be afl'ured, that God will not
kave him, till he bath done that which he hath

fpoken

a performing God, 469

fpokcn to him of, and that he will be all that
he hath promifed to him at Bethel. (i.)
Believers may be affured of it, upon the ground
of the unchangeablenefs of God, there may be
many ups and downs in thy cafe : it is only the
communion day above, that fiiall have no more
night. Thou wilt certainly change, and change e're
it be long : but dareft thou fay, God will change
as oft as thou doft ? Thinkeft thou, that he will
change in his love, when thou changeft in thy
frame ? No, he will reft in his love, fVho??2 he loves,
he loves to the end. Thy fecurity ftands upon God's
immutability, Mai iii. 6. I am the Lord, I change
not : therefore the fans of Jacob arc not ccnjumed.

(2.) Believers may be affured, that God will
not leave them, till he hath done, what he hath
fpoken ; upon the ground of God's fore-know-
ledge. The thing that makes men many times
alter their fentiments is, becaufe tliere are ma-
ny things fall out contrary to what they pro-
jedied J but God forefaw what would be j he
forefaw, that, even after a Bethel heart-burning in-
terview with God, thou wouldft grow cold-rife ;
yet notwithflanding this, he met with you in
Bethel, and fpake with you there ; and therefore
he will do what he hath fpoken to thee. He
forefaw what a prodigal, what a backflider you
would be, yet he gave his v/ord to you ; and there-
fore he will not go back.

(3.) You may be affured he will net leave you,
believer, //// he hath done what he hath fpoken,
becaufe he is faithful. Faithful is he that hath
promfed, who alfo will do it. Though, when his
children break his law, and keep not his command--
ments, then will he vifit their tranfgrejjions with the
rod, and their iniquities with fripes i ncvei'thelefi

H h 3 his

;470 The promijing Gody

his loving-kindnefs will he not utterly fake from bim,
nor fuffer his faithfulnefs to fail. Once hath he
fworn by his hoU7iefs, that he will not lie unto David,
Pfalm Ixxxix. 3 3 . God is faithfuh '^ho hath called
you to the fellcwfip of his Son.

(4.) Believers may be aiTured of this, upon the
ground of the divine power ; or, becaufe God is
almighty, and able to do v^hat he hath fpoken
Kom. xi. 23. The apoftle fays, the fews /hall be
grafted in. Why ? For God is able to graft them
in again^ having once promifed it, and faid that
he will do it. It is enough to fupport our faith,
that he is able to do what he hath faid. Abra-
ham\ faith leaned upon the power of God, Rom,
iv. 21. He was fully petjuaricd^ that he that had
fpoken, was able to perfor?n. You may then be af-
fured, believer, that he will never leave you, till he
hath done what he hath fpoken j unlefs you can fup-
pofe, that he hath out-promifed his own power,
and faid more than he is able to do.

(5.) It is evident he will not leave you, till he
hath done what he hath fpoken, if you confidci the
experience of his people, and your own experi-
ence. The experience of God's people, from the
beginning of the world, who have always found
God to be as good as his word, and the fame God,
that he manifefted himfelf to be at their Bethel-
meeting with him. They have ftill found him
to be the God of Bethel, whatever jealoufies they
entertained of his love j yet upon their return, af-
ter their dark day was over, they found that his
word endureth for ever ; and that he never came
fhort of his promife ; but that notwithftanding all
their temptations, they were continually with him,
and he v/as continually with them, holding them
by his right hand, Bfahn Ixxiii, 23. They flill

found

a performing God, 471

found him welcoming the returning prodigal, fay-*
ing, T^his my fen was dead^ and is alive^ was lojiy
and is found. Now is it confiftent with their ex-
perience, and will he take a fingular tvay with
you ? Yea, thou dareft not deny, believer, but
thou haft found God to be ftill the God of Be-
thel, even though many times you were fearing
that God would never fmile upon you again ; yet,

' upon your looking back to his holy temple, you
have been made to fay, O ! he is the fame, and his
love is not altered nor changed, and that he hath not

forgotten his proinife. Hence, how many times
have believers reafon to fet to their feal to David's
exercife and experience, Pfalm xxx. 9, 10, 11,
when he is crying, what profit is there in my bloody
if I fiall go dowu to the pit? They fall a pray-
ing. Hear, Lord, and have mercy upon me. Lord be
thou my helper -, and then have been made to fay,
thou haft turned for me, my mourning into da?ici?igj
thou haft put off my fackcloth, and girded me with
gladnefs. May not then experience affure you,
that he will not leave you, till he hath done that
which he hath Jhoken ?

(6.) The everlafting nature of the covenant of
promife may alTure you of this, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5,
Though ?ny houfe be not fo with God, yet he hath
made with me an everlafti?ig covenant, well ordered
in all things, and fur e. The bargain was not left
to your making a covenant with him, but God
himfelf made it with you 5 and therefore ye fhall
be kept by his power, through faith to falvation.
Though thou ihouldft change a hundred times,
God will not change one word of the fweet bar-
gain he made with you : becaufe,

(7.) It is his bargain made with Chrift, Pfalm

Ixxxix. 3 J 28, / have made a covenant with my

H h 4 chcfen.

472 T^he promijing God^

chofin^ and my covenant jhall fiand fafi with him i
And hence, if his children break my law^ I will vi-
Jit their iniquity with rods : neverthelefs fny lovitjg
kindfiefs will not I take from him : And becaufe I
will not take it from HIM, I will not take it from
them. Your affurance then of his not leaving youy
till he hath dene what he hath fpoken^ may ftand up-
on the everlafting love that he hath to Chrift,
and the flanding bargain between Chrift and
him. He cannot fail you, becaufe he cannot
fail his fon Chrift, who hath fealed the covenant
with his blood, and in whom therefore all the
fromifes are yea and ajnen, to the glory of God : and
fo the glory of God in Chrift, the glory of his
mercy and truth in Chrift, obliges hirn to do as
he hath fpoken.

(S.) There is one ground of afturance more
that I ofter, and it lies in the bofom of the text,
namely, the divine will and pleafure, / WILL not
leave thee, until I have done that which I have fpoken.
I will not ; it is my will and pleafure, not to leave
you till all be done. You have a word, i Sam.
xii. 22. T^he Lord WILL not for fake his people^ fori
his great name's fake : Why ? becaufe^ it hath pleafed
the Lord to ?nake you his people. Thus it is faid,
Deut. vii. 7, 8. I^he Lord fet his love upon Ifrael-,
Why ? becaufe he loved them : he will, becaufe
he will. And who hath reffed his wiir^ His will
is uncontroulable : and hath he manifefted his will
in this, that he will not leave yoUy till he hath done what
he hath faid? Then you may be aflured of it, for he
will do all his pleafure : and well may you fay, I'hy
will be done. The covenant of grace, is made up of /
w///f, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. and downwards. Iwill givs-
thee a new hearty a new fpirit will I put within ycu : I
^ill take away the heart of Jione, I will give you a

heart

a performing God, 4^3

heart of fejh j I 'uDill put my fpirit 'within yoti^ &c;
ten or twelve I wills. And this part of the cove-
nant, delivered to Jacob in the text, is like a
crowning promife put upon the head of all : I
will not leave thee, until I have done that which I
have fpoken to thee of. And what better affurance
would you have than this, that God fays, I will?
What he will do, mufl: be.

The fifth general head propofed, was, to make
application of the whole, in fome inferences. If it
be fo as I have been faying, hence fee ( i.) Whence
it is, that feme may feem to be of all men the
mofl miferable, who are yet of all men the moft
happy, I mean believers in Chrift, that are ac-
quainted with ££'//^^/-meetings with God, arfd to
whom God hath fpoken favourably and gracioufly.
They may feem to be moil miferable, in refpect
of the dark and difmal nights that may follow,
upon their fweet intercourfe with God, and yet are
the moil happy perfons in the world, in refped: of
their having God, binding and obliging himfelf
never to leave them, till he hath performed all the
gracious promifes of the everlafting covenant to
them. This is the honour of all the faints ; God
will not leave them, though they feem to be left
of all the world. And God will do what he hath
fpoken to them of, though clouds and darknefs,
and mountains of difficulty ftand in the way.

(2.) See whence it is, that fome may feem to
be the molt happy perfons in the world, who
are yet the moft miferable 5 I mean, unbelievers,
whether they be profane, or profeffors, that have
no acquaintance with God in Chrift. They may
feem to be moll happy folk for a while, in re-
fpedt they, know not what it is to have a dark day,
a day of trquble ^nd adverfity 3 they liave peace

and

474 ^^ promijing Godj

and profperity in the world : They are not troubled
as other men^ neither are they plagued like other t7ieny
Pfal. Ixxiii. They have no fear, either from church
or flate. They have eafy confciences, that can
comply with every thing right or wrong, that is
impofed upon them, whether by civil or eccleii-
aflical authority. They can fell truth, to buy
peace, and fo they live at cafe, and yet they are
the moft miferable, becaufe they are left and for-
faken of God, and are not the children of the
promife, to "\vhom God hath fpoken peace ; but
the heirs of the threatning, againft whom God
hath denounced judgments, to whom he hath fpo-
ken wrath, yea, and fivorn in wrath, that they
Jhall not enter into his reft : for there is no peace ,
faith my God, to the wicked. And whatever temp-
tations the people of God may be under, to fret at
their profperity ; yet, whenever the believer goes
to the fanBuary, then will he fee their end, and how
they are fit but in flipper y places, and fuddenly caji
down into defruBion.

3. Hence fee, that the ground of faith ftands
immutable amidft all changes. The moft dark
and difmal days cannot hinder the accomplifliment
of the divine promife ; neither need any dark pro-
vidence, or heavy difpenfation, hinder the exercife
of faith, and the life of faith in the divine pro-
mife. Nay, thefe crofs providences may rather
further the life of faith, than hinder it : for faith
is never properly exercifed ; but upon the fuppo-
iition of dark providences, croffing and feeming
to oppofe the accomplifliment of the promife :
for in fuch a cafe the foul hath nothing to do but
to believe, nothing to look to but the promife,
nothing to truft to but a promifing God, and this
is fair and honeft believing -, like that which oiir

Lord

a performing God, 475

Lord Jefus called the ruler of the fynagogue unto,
when news came that his child was dead, Fear
720t, only believe^ Mark v. 36. For then it is time
for God to fhew himfelf. Faith hath a but, that
can ftand out againO: all the arrows of crofs pro-
vidence, that arc fhot againft it : FJalm Iv. 23. But
I 'Will triiji in thee. He had been fpeaking of many-
hard things in his way, fuch as his being pain'd,
becaufe of the voice of the enemy, and the oppref-
fion of the wicked, verfe 3. How they cajl iniquity
upon him. and in wrath hated him j yea, but I will
trujl in thee. As God will accomplifli his promife,
notwithftanding all the b^its, that are in the way ;
fo there is ground for faith to truil confidently,
becaufe God hath fpoken, therefore no matter,
though men and devils really, and dark providen-
ces feemingly, fpeak to the contrary.

4. Hence fee, who are the greatefl bleffing to a
church or nation. Surely thefe to whom God hath
faid, that he will not leave them. God hath not
altogether left the church, or the land, where any
fuch are in it j but if they v/ere gone, then God
is gone alfo, and Wo to them when I depart from
them, faith the Lord. Some are fond to have
God's people perfecuted, and his faints baniflied
out of their coafts : they cannot bear their faith-
fulnefs and honefty, they are a torment to them ;
but yet what would become of a church or land,
if God's faithful remnant were gone ? his prefence
would go with them, and none would remain be-
hind to whom God hath faid, I will not leave
them. Then would that church be left of God,
and wo would be to them. May we not fay with
the prophet, Ifa. i. 9. Except the Lord had left us
a very fmall remnant, we had been as Sodom, we
had been like unto Gomorrah ? Surely when a

church

476 7he promt fptg God^

church begins to caft out the faithful from among
them, then they begin to deflroy themfelves, and
to bring down wo upon their own heads.

5. Hence fee, where Hes the fafety of God's
children, when they are cail out by their friends
and brethren, as ^acob was in a manner call: out
at all hands j he was the obje6t of his friend La~
bans envy, and his brother EJaiis fpite and rage,
which occafioned his being cafi; out of his father's
family, and the country of his kindred for twenty
years. Well, but where was his fafety ? Why ?
When all other comforts left him., God faid, /
'will not leaiie thee, till I have done what I have prc-
tnifed. God's promife was his inheritance, and
God's prefence w^as his guard, amidft all frowning
providences : and fo it is, and will be, with all the
true fpiritual feed of Jacob. Whoever leaves them,
God will not leave them, whatever men fpeak re-
proachfully againfl them, yet God fpeaks comfor-
tably to them: yea, and whatever men do againft
them, God will do for them, and do all that he
hath fpoken to them of.

6. Hence fee, the different ftate of the church
vifible, from the church invifible upon earth, or
the difference between the true and faithful
children of God, and any particular vifible church.
Why all true believers have this promife . fecured
in their perfons, that God will never leave them,
till he hath accompliflied all his promifes of grace
and mercy to them. He hath faid, I nvill ?iever
leave thee ?icr forjake thee ; but it cannot be faid
of any particular vifible church, that God will
never leave them. God hath left many particu-
lar churches, and called them Lo-amjni, faying,
Te are not tny people^ and I ivill not be your God,
Hof i. 9. And how far he may leave the church
of Scotland, who can tell t The glory fometimes

depart^

a perfo?y?itng God. 477

departs from the thrertiold to the mountains, and
God feems to be making fearful removes from the
prefent generation. I would not love to give any
jull offence, nay, nor to grate the ears of any
hearers, with reflcdions upon any that are but
poor mortal finful men, like ourfelves, fubjcd to
the like pallions, and clothed with the like infir-
mities : but I would delire to keep mine eyes on a
higher hand, than any finful infcruments of the
cliurches mifery and confufion. They could do
nothing if God were not provoked by our fins to
leave them to themfelves, and to their violent mea-
fures. Who gave Jacob to the fpoily and Ifrael to
the robbers ? Did not the Lord^ he againjl 'whom we
have finned ? May we not fay of the church of
ScotIa7id? Her rowers have brought her into great
waters^ Ezek. xxvii. 26. But it is our fins, that
have provoked God to leave the rowers and mana-
gers, who could do nothing either againil the fa-
cred office of miniilers, or the chrillian rights of
people, except it v/ere given from heaven, as
Chrifl faid to Pilate ^ 'Thou coiddjl have no power a-
gainjl me^ except it were given. As I love not to
offend or grate any, as I faid, fo I would not love
to be charp-eable with finful filence in fuch a time,
when God leems to be fa^/ing. Cry aloud a?id fpare
?20ty tell the houfe of Ifrael their fns. Wo would
be to us, if w^fjotdd be cfrald of man that fhall die,
or the fon of man that fdall be made as grafs^ Ifa. li.
12. May we not confider, as a matter of lamenta-
tion, how far God feems to have left: the church
of Scotland and her judicatories ? I fliall not affert
at this time what I lliail fpeak by way of fuppo-
fition, and leave it to every one to judge, whether
it be matter of lamentation before God, in cafe
the fuppofition fliould be found; a truth. And I
faall fpsak in the firfl perfon of the phiral number,

that

47 S Vje promljing God^

that I may take in myfelf as having a hand, as
well as others, in provoldng the Lord to leave us.

If God hath left us and our judicatories to make
unfcriptural and unwarrantable ad:s, denuding the
Lord's people of their jufl rights and chriftian privi-
leges 5 would it not be lamentable ? If he hath left
us, fo far as to make thefe a6ts terms of communion,
fo as none fliall have communion with us, that dare
oppofe thefe unwarranted proceedings : again, if he
hath left us, fo far as to indulge Avians and blajphe-
merSj and deal gently with thefe that are guilty of
fundamental errors, and yet to proceed violently and
furioufly againft fome of the friends of truth, and
to fhew hardly fo much regard for the fupreme au- .
thority and dignity of the Son of God, as we fhew
for the fupreme authority and dignity of our erring
alTemblies j if this were fo, would it not be la-
mentable ? If God hath left us, fo far as to deftroy
ourfelves by facrificing a covenanted reformation
and covenanted principles, together with the facred
office of minifters, and the fpiritual rights of peo-
ple, that would adhere thereto, and all unto what
we call church authority and good order, which
yet is but another name for church-tyranny, and
dreadful confufion ; would not this be very lamen-
table ? If Cod hath left us to call out, of our bo-
fom, fome that are the friends and favourites per-
haps of heaven, and that, becaufe of their faithful
teliimony againft the evils and defediions of the
day J would not this be lamentable, and evidence
that God had very far left us ? Thefe and many
other things I might fuppofe ?

What is the world faying, but that our i^owers
have brought us i7ito great 'waters"^ Ezek. xxvii.
26. What is this they are faying of the judi-
catories of the church of Scotland in our day ? Are
people faying, that God hath left us and our ju-
dicatories,

a perfofyning God. a^^'jc)

dicatories, (o far as to make unfcriptural and un-
warrantable ads ? &c. Are they faying that Bethel
is turned to Bethaven ? That Philadelphia is turned
to Laodicea ? It would be good news, if there were
no truth in what the world are now faying of us.
But if there be any truth in it, then furely God
hath left us very far ; and who knows, how far he
may yet further remove ? Better fword, famine
and peftilence among us than that God (liould ut-
terly leave us. But how far foever he may leave
a vifible church, yet he will never leave his invifible
remnant : for to them he hath faid, / will not leave
thee^ till I have done that which I have fpoken to
thee of.

7. Hence fee reafon to try what fide you are
upon, whether you be a Jacob or an Efau. They
were both born of the fame mother, and in the
fame womb, but the one was blelTed and the other
curfed. You may be of the fame mother-church,
yet born after the Jlejh^ and not after thefpirit. If
you be the true feed of Jacobs then you will know
fomething of a J5^/M-interview with God. Hath
God ever brought you to a wildernefs, and there
met with, and fpoke comfortably to you ? Have
you ever feen the glory of God in Chrift, as a lad-
der to heaven, 'The way, the truth and the life, fo
as you were made to clofe with him, and climb
up to God by this ladder : For by him we believe
in God, who raifed him from the dead, and gave him
glory, that our faith and hope might be in God. Have
you heard God fpeaking to you, and communica-
ting his mind, or difcovering himfelf as a promi-
iing God, in words of grace to your humiliation,
fandlification and confolation ? O man, woman,
if all places be alike to you, fo as you never met
with God, in a place that might be called Bethel ;

and

4B0 "The prmitfijtg God^

and if all words of fcripture be alike to you, {o
as you know no word on which he hath caiijed xoii
to hope, you are yet a jiranger in Ifrael: but if you
can point at the place where the Lord God of the
Hebrews met with, you on a former occafion, fo as
you can fometimes look back upon it with pleafure,
faying, O ! I thought it was a Bethel, a houfe of
God ; and if you can point at the v/ord, with which
God opened your heart, as he did the heart of
Lydia, and made it the porch both of hoiinefs and
comfort, 'tis good. Did he make the word to
you, as it was to yob, better and more precious than
your necejfary food ; and as it was to Jeremiah, the
joy a?id rejoici?ig of your heart-, and as it was to
Da'vid, fweefer tha?i the honey or the hony-comh^
and the very ground on which he hath caiifed you
to hope F and are you from that time to this ftill
hoping in his word, when the Lord reftores your
foul out of its fleepy lit ? Why then it feems you
are a child of promife, to whom God hath faid
I will 7tot leave thee until I have done that which I
have fpoken to thee of.

8. Hence fee the duty of all that hear me both
unbelievers and believers.

I. Ye that are unbelievers, and know not the
God of Bethel, but ^x& fir angers to the covenant of
promife, living without God and without hope in the
world, living in the lifis of the fief 0 ; poor, wretch-
ed, worldly creature, drunkard, whoremonger,
fabbath-breaker or hypocrite, that may be comes to
communions, but never had communion with God
there, and never came out of Sodom to this day,
that was never brou2;ht to a wildernefs of fear and
defpair, and then to a Bethel of hope and comfort
in God, as a promifing God in Chrift 3 I v/ould
tell you your duty in t\\'o words.

a performing God. 481

(i.) It is your duty, to confider the dangerous
ftate you are in. And I muft tell you a terrible
word for wakening your feared confcience, if
God would blefs it for that end. As you have
been hearing that God is bound, by his own
promife, never to leave his children, till he doth
that which he liath fpoken to them of in the
gofpel : fo on the other hand, that fame God is
bound and obliged by his threatning, if you re-
main in that Hate, never to leave contending with
you, until he hath done that which he hath
fpoken of in the law j that is, you are under the
curfe of the law, and God is obliged to curfe you.
He that is faithful to his promife, and will ac-
complifh it to all that flee to Chrift, is as faith-
ful to his threatning, and Will accomplifli it to all
that remain out of Chrift. What a trembling
heart would you have, man, woman, if you were
but in Pauh cafe, when more than forty men
bound themfelves with an oath, that they would
not eat nor drink, till they killed him ? If fo ma-
ny men were bound under oath, to kill and de-^
ftroy you, I believe It would take fleep from your
eyes, and make you reftlefs how to efcape their
fury ; and yet their oath could relate but to a
temporal life. But tremble and fear to think, that
the great God is bound, by a folemn oath, to damn
and deilroy you to all eternity, if you remain in
that Chriftlefs ftate, Heb. HI. 11. He hath fworn in
his wrath y that you jhall not enter into his reft.

(2.) It is your duty, to flee from this wrath to
come, by fleeing to Bethel^ to the God of Bethely
to a promiflng God in Chrlft. You will never
go to heaven, if you go not to Bethel, by the
way J I mean, if you remain flrangers to Chrift.
Think not thefe are words of courfe, that we are
fpeaking to you , for, as knowing the terrors of

I i God

482 The promiftng Gody

Gody ive perfuade you to fly out of Sodom, and
away from the divine wrath : fo, I hope, know-
ing the comforts of God, as the God of Bethel,
we would perfuade you, to come and fee what is
to be feen at Bethel, and to come and hear the
voice of a promifmg God, that is to be heard
there. J^hat ive have heard and feen, may ive jiot
declare unto you, that there is fuch a thing as
5^//j^/-interviews with God ? For woe to us that
are miniflers, if we be preaching to you an ab-
folutely unknown God, an unknown Bethel,
an unknown Jefus. If we know neither the ter-
rors, nor comforts of God, at any time, I think
we would have no commiffion to fpeak any of
them to you, my dear friends, whom I never ex-
ped: to fee all again, on the like occaiion as this,
till we fee Chrift coming in the clouds of heaven.
In the fear of God, and in the faith of our meet-
ing together before his tribunal, I would tell you,
that the great day's meeting, we fliall have, will
be terrible to you j if, before you leave this world,
you know nothing of a Bethel-mtttmg with God,
as a promifing God in Chrift : therefore let me
exhort you, in the laft day of the feaft, and in
the profpe6l of the great day, to come to Chrift,
in whom all the promifes are yea and amen, to
the glory of God. Come to him, by owning, that
you cannot come of yourfelf. Come to him, by
ciying to him, that he would draw you. Come
to him, by believing that you cannot believe, and
yet by believing as you can, till you believe as
you lliould. Come to him, by believing, that
you are curfed, v/retched, and undone without
him, and that you fliall be bleiTed and happy
in him. Come to liim, by believing, that you
[lave no ri'jhteoufnefs but guilt, no ftrength but

weakncfs ',

ti perfonning God. 483

weaknefs 3 and that in the Lord only you have righ-
teoiifnefs and firength. Come to him, by be-
lieving, that you have nothing, and that he hath
all i that you can do nothing, and he can do all
for you. Come to him, by employing him to
be your Prophet^ Pricfty afid Kwgy your w/f-
doniy nghfeou/hejs, fanBiJicationy and rede?nptio?u
Come to him, not upon fuch and fuch terms
and conditions, that you are ready to dream you
mud come up to : but come to him, by coming
down to his terms ; that is, to be willing to be
faved by free-grace. Come downy Zaccheiis, for
this day falvation is come to thy houfe : fo, fay
I, come- down, iinner, from the tree of legal
qualifications, and legal hopes built upon your
own naughty duties. Come down, for you can-
not fave yourfelf with all your climbing, nor
bring falvation to yourfelf; but this day fahation
is come to voiir houfe ; falvation is come to you,
becaufe you cannot come to it 3 falvation is come
to your hand ; falvation is come to your heart.
The faviour is knocking at the door of your
heart, and calling you to come down, and take
the free falvation that is offered to you. Who-
foever will, let him comey ajid take of the ivater of
life freely. It may be, this fliall be, the lall
communion you fhall fee in time^ and the
laft communion offer that ever you fhall hear ;
or if you be fpared to live fometime longer,
it may be the lafh communion you fliall havcj *
with peace, in the church of Scotland y it may
be fo, and it may be otherv/ife ; only we have
had long forty years peace ; and it is pofli-
ble, the prefent emergencies in this church, may
be the beginning of forrows : but whatever be a
coming, as death and judgment certainly is com-

I i ^3 ing

484 *The promt ftng Godj

ing upon you fpeedily, it is fafeft for you to come
to 'Jefits the Mediator of the new ccvenant ; ItJt ^not
the laft offer be flighted : O ! let us not part with
one another, till there be good ground to hope,
we fhall not part with Chrift. Alas ! I fear, be-
fore this day eight days, yea, may be, befoi'e the
cock crow twice, this offer of Chrift will be for-
gotten, and out of your head. Some pitiful
trifle in this world will take all out of your heart j
but I here take your confciences to witnefs, for-
get as you will, that this offer fliall not be alto-
gether in vain, though it ihould be flighted ; for,
when the book of confcience fhall be opened at
the great day, this fhall be called to remembrance,
that, fuch a day at Abbots-hall, after a communion
there, Chrift and falvation, from fin and wrath,
came to you to be freely received, and yet you
reje(fled it j and this will contribute to glorify the
iuflice of God in condemning you, and make it
evident to all the world, that he is clear when he
judges, ■ '^^^^ ^^^^

Wo is me, if there be not fo much as a defire
kindled in your heart after our glorious Lord. If
you think eternal falvation worth your while, O
iinner, and this offer of it no contemptible thing,
then may I advife you, to fet fome little tiriie
apart, after this occafion is over, and betake^ your
felf to fome place, whether in the houfe or the
field, where you may have a little retirement
from the world, and there cry to God, that he
may follow this offer, and this occaflon, with
power upon your heart, for drawing you to the
Lord, and to his way ; while you are thus em-
ployed, who knows, but before you come from
your knees, the place may becpme a Bethel, a
houfe of God, v^here you will fee and know him,

a performing God, 485

iS a promlfing God in Chrifl: Jefus ? For in thij
way fome have had a meeting with him, that they
will never forget. O ! be reftlefs in waiting on
him, in the ule of all appointed means, till he
manifeft himfelf to you favingly j for when onc^
he doth fo, you may be fure he will never leave
you, till he hath perfedied the good work accord-
ing to his promife.

2. To you that are believers in Chrifl, and
know what it is to have fome Bethel-inttTy'itw^
with God, either at this occaiion, or formerly.
Are you in this happy ftate, and have God for
your clofe companion, who having begun to do
you good, will not league you^ till he hath done all
that he hath faid to you ? Your duty is both to
be joyful in your promifing God, and fruitful in
the work of faith.

(i.). In the faith of this promife, you ought
to be joyful. Is it nothing to you, that God
himfelf is your everlafting companion, faying, /
will 7iot leave you ? That he is a promifing God
to you, and hath condefcended to fpeak to you ;
that he is your agent to do what he hath fpoken,
and that, he hath bound himfelf, never to leave
you, u?2til he hath done what he hath fpoken ? O !
whatever dark days may come, it is your duty to
be joyful in him. though the earth Jljould be re-
incvedy aiid the moiintaim cafi into the tnidjl of the
fea. Here is a river that makes glad the city of
God', that makes glad the children of God. God
is in the midfl of them ; and hath faid, I will not
leave you.

Object. O / but may a child of Gjod fa]\ How
can I take in this comfort , when I find the Lord haih
left me ? Though he faid once, I will never leave
you, yet it may be a delufion, for I feel the contrary,

li 3 \n

486 7he promijtftg God^

in ma?iy fad effeBs of his abfeiice. O unbelieving
believer, will you, with 'Thomas^ never believe, till
you feel? The ground of your faith is God's pro-
mife and not your feeling. But for fatisfying the
foul, that may be under a dark cloud of defertion,
faying, l^he Lord hath for faken^ and my God hath
forgotten ; fin prevails, and God is out of fight ;
I would have you to remark, that there are tokens
of God's prefence with you, believer, even when
you do not obferve them, by reafon of the clouds
that are upon you : for example, whence is it
that you are not fwallowed up like a fhip in a
whirlepool ; and that there is fome fecret hair of
hope in the heart, even when your unbelief is
ready to fay, My hope is perifhed ? Why ? the
reafon is, he hath not altogether left you. Whence
is it, that you are like the burning bufli, all in a
jlame many times, and yet not confumed ; burn-
ing, but not burnt ; flaming but not confumed ?
You do not obferve this ; yet it is obfervable, that
you are preferved to this day, to this hour,
amidfl the flames of temptation, and the floods
of corruption ; why ? the matter is, he hath not
yet left you. Whence is it, that you can ne-
ver give over duties altogether j and however the
tempter prevail to flacken your hand, yet you
cannot for your heart give up with all religious
people : and with all religious duties, wherein you
think communion with God may be had ? Why ?
the reafon of this is, he hath not altogether left
you. Whence is it that you do not break God's
prifon through utter defponder.cy, and go away,
and take your pleafure with the reft of the wicked
world ? even when you are in the prifon of defer-
tion and unbelief, you dare not think of bidding
farewel to God, or departing v/ickedly from him,

[a performmg God, 457

or of bidding the Almighty depart from you j nay,
is there not fomething in your heart, even at your
worit, that fays, O ! if he would come ! O ! when
will he come ? This, he fays hath not altogether
left you. Whence is it that you cannot agree
with fin ? the more it prevails upon you, the more
you abhor it, and abhor yourfelf for it, and dare
not give way to it. Doth not this evidence there
is fome lecret power, and prefence of God with
you, and that he hath not yet left you ? Whence
is it, that when you ftray from your true refting
place, you cannot reft any where elfe, and can
find no quiet in your mind, till you come back
again ? May be, you fall a feeking reft and peace
in the creature, in the world, in recreations and
diverfions, and may be in your duties, and yet
there was fomething in your heart that faid, O !
it is not here, it is not here ; you find vanity writ-
ten on all, till you return to your firft hufband.
Again, whence is it, that, at your worft, the leaft
word of news fi'om him, concerning his- return,
makes your heart leap within you for joy, as the
babe in Elizabeth's womb at the falutation of Ma-
ry^ while the news of his return, and the hope of
his coming again, gives you a glad heart ? Sure-
ly he is not far off, and even when you are moft
fecure and ftupid, moft dead and dull, there is. a
a fecret wi(h at the root of your heart: O ! for
fuch a day again, wherein the candle of the Lord
fhined on me;' 0/ that it wefe with me as in
months paji. Whence is it, that the outward ftiell
of ordinances cannot content your heart, withoiit
the kernel of communion and fellowlliip with
God, and that the dead letter of thev/ord cannot
pleafe you, without the living fpirit accompany^-
ing it ? Why ? he hath not left you to be

1 i 4^ content

488 The promiJt7tg God^

content with any thing without himfeif. Whence
is itj that the intereft of Chrifl is your intereft,
and that you cannot join with the defections of the
day, nor fide with the errors of the times, but
iliildefire to be on Chrift's fide ? Why cannot you
turn with the tide of the times ? Even becaufe the
Lord hath not altogether left you. In a word,
Whence is it, that the leaft difcovery he makes of
himfeif is joyfully welcome to you, when he but
knocks foftly at the door of your heart : ^ong v. 4.
, My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door^
and my bowels were moved for him ? When he feems
to be on his way to you, you are ready to fay as
Laban to Abraharris fervant, Gen. xxiv. 13. Come
in thou bleff'ed of the Lord. Now whence are
all thefe things, but from this, that he is ftill
prefect, though you fee him not, and that he hath
never altogether left you, but is flill remembring
his promife, / nvill not leave thee F
. (2.) It is your duty to be fruitful in the work
of faith. O believer ! give glory to G6d, by be-
lieving that he ivill not leave you till he hath done
that which he hath fpcken to you of. Dark and cloudy
days, that may follow upon jB^/i?^/-interviews, can-
iiot hinder God's doing what he hath fpoken j
and therefore let it not hinder your beHeving that
'he will do. what he hath fpoken to you of. Hath he
fpoken to you of pardoning your iins? And hath
he fpoken to you- of fubduing your corruptions?
Hath he fpoken of fupplying all your wants ? Hath
he fpoken to you of bearing all your burdens ?
Hath he fpoken to you of healing your difeafes ?
Hath he fpoken to you of your provifion, and his
care of you in this world ? Hath he fpoken to
you of your protection in time of danger j Hath
he fpoken to' you of fatisfying your defire ? Hatli
id:; • he

a per farming God. 489

he fpoken to you of guiding you by his coimfel,
and bringing you to his glory ? Hath he fpoken to
you of your trials, that he will fupport and up-
hold with the right-hand of his righteoufnefs ?
Hath he fpoken to you of your i^^d., that he wili
be your God, and the God of your feed ? Hath
he fpoken to you of your death, that death fhall
be fwallowed up in vidory ? Hath he fpoken to
you of eternal life, that you fhali be for ever with
him ? Hath he fpoken to you of his love, that
he hath loved you with an everlafting love ? Hath
he fpoken to you of his fpirit, that his fpirit fhall
be in you as a well of water ? ^c. Hath he fpo-
ken to you of his blefling, that he hath bleffed
you, and ye fliall be bleffed, and that in blefling
he will blefs you ? Hath he fpoken to you of his
prefence, that he will never leave you nor forfake yoti^
that he v/ill be with you in trouble ? Hath he fpo-
ken to you of his care about you, that he will
make all things work together for your good F Hath
he fpoken to you of his abfence, that he will re-
turn, that he will fee you again, and your heart
fhall rejoice ? Hath he fpoken to you of his anger,
that it endureth but a moment, and that with
everlafting kindnefs he will have mercy on you ?
Whatever he hath fpoken, O give him the glory
of his truth, by believing that whatever he feems
to be doing by outward frowning providences, yet
he will never leave yoUy till he hath done^ what he
hath fpoken to you of . It is your duty, to keep your
eye fhut upon dark providences, and to keep your
eye open upon the clear promife.

Hath he faid, he will not leave you, till he hath
done what he hath faid? Then wait upon him in
the due ufe and improvement of all means, till he
do his work, and do not leave him. Return his pro-
mife

49 o ^^ f^omijing God^

mife by your pradice, faying, Lord, haft thou
faid, / 'will not leave thee^ until I have done what
Ihavefpokenf Behold, through grace, I refolve I
will not leave thee, until thou haft done what thou
haft fpoken. He is a God of judgment, and blef^
Jed are all they that wait for him. Hath he faid,
and promifed to this effed: ? Then O ! put a fa-
vourable conftrud:ion upon all his frowning dif-
penfationsj according to your faith of his promife,
and of his favour therein, fuch will be your faith
-of his favour amidft all afflicting providences.
Whatever diftrefs and difficulty you meet with \
yet let faith ilill fay, for all this, I hope he will
Ao as he hath fpoken : for all this I will not quit
the hold, but hope in his word. O believer ! re-
member that whatever God hath faid to thee, he
hath faid it with ^furely^ as he faid to Jacob, Gen.
xxxii. 12. / will furcly do thee good. And when
yaccb came to a ftrait, he put God in mind of it,
Thoti didjifay, I will fur ely do thee good j and there-
fore let your faith be a6led with '!i fur ely grounded
upon the truth and veracity of God, faying vv'ith
David, Ffalm xxiii. 6. Surely goodnefs and f/iercy
fhall follow me all the days of my life j and I will
dwell in the houfe of the Lord for ever. We live by
faith, and not by fight ; and therefore though dark
days fhould come, you ought to believe when you
cannot fee, Atid bleffed is Jhe that believed, Luke i.
45. for there Jhall be a performance of thefe t hi figs
which were told her from the Lord. The word of the
Lord endureth for ever.

Let the faith of the promife appear in your
fandlification, and hollnefs of heart, fpeech and
behaviour. 2 Cor. vii. i. Having thefe promifes
(dearly beloved) let us cleanfe our fclves from all fit hi-
nejs of the flcfi and fpirit, tcrfcdling hoUnefs, in the

a performing God, 49 1

fear of God. Let it be evident to all the world
you converfe with, that now you are clean thro'
the words that he hath fpoken to you. He that
hath this faith and hope, purifieth himfelf ; for
faith fetches all its purity out of Chrifl, or, which
is all one, out of the promife, which is yea and
atnejt in Chrift. The faith of God's love will work
by love to a holy God, and his holy ways : there-
fore O believer ! let your life be a life of faith,
and refolve, through grace, to live and die in the
faith of his love, which he himielf exprefTeth in
this promife, I will not leave ihee^ until I have done
that which I have fpoken to thee of.

Faith\

Faims plea upon God'^s vovrdimnd
covenant.

BEING

An Evening Exercise before die admini-
fir:{tration of the Lord's-Supper, at Kinglajie.

By Mr. Ralph Erskine.

Psalm Ixxiv. 20.
Have refpeSi unto the covenant^ 6cc. '^^

^ I ^ H E pfalmift, in pleading for the church
i and people of God, and that he would ap-
pear for them againft their enemies, ufes feveral
arguments \ particularly in the clofe of the pre-
ceeding verfe, there is fomething he pleads God
may not forget. Forget not the congregatioyi of thy
poor for eve?' \ and the rather he ufes this argu-
ment, becaufe he' had faid, Pfalm ix. 18. The
needy JJ:aH not be forgotten ; the expeBntion of the
poor J hall not per if :> for ever. There is in this verfe
fomething he pleads, that God may remember
and have regard unto, Have refpe5i imto the cove-
?2ant. Thou hail brought us into covenant with
thee, might he fay, and though we are unworthy
to be refpedted, yet Have rejpccl unto the covenant
of promife. When God delivers his people, it is
in remembrance of his covenant. Lev, xxvi. 42.
Then 'will I remember my covenant with Abraham^

Jfaac^

Faitlos plea upon Mc. 493

JJaac, and 'Jacob % and I ivill remefnher the land.
We cannot expert he will remember us, till he
remembef his covenant : hence therefore the

Dod:rine is, T^hat one of faith's Jirong pleas with
God is J that he woidd K'ave refpeft to the covenant.
If we would deal with God for mercy, or plead
with him for favour, or look to him for any good'
on this occafion, let us exped: it only upon this
ground, the refped he hath to the covenant, and
plead upon this argument. For method, I Ihall
fliew, iji. What covenant it is he will have a re-
fpedt to. 2dly. What it is for God to have a re-
fped to the covenant, ^dly. What it is in the co-
venant he hath refped to. ^thly. What kind of a
refped he hath to it. 5//7/V. Why he hath refped:
to it, and ib why it is a fuitable plea and argu-
ment in fuing for mercy. 6thly, Make fome ap-
plication of the whole.

\Ji. Shew what covenant it is, he will have a
refped: to. Anf. The covenant here fpoken of,
is the covenant of grace and promife, made in.-
Chrift Jefus before the world began^ and publifhed
inthegofpel to finners, fer. xxxii. 39, 40. And
I will give them one heart and one way, that they
may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of
their children after them. And I will make ah
ever laJii?Tg covenant with thejn, that I will not tiir^
away from them, to do them good ; but I will pit^
my fear in their hearts, that they fiall not depart
from me. Ezek. xxxvi. 26. A new heart alfo wilt
I give you, and a new fpirit will I put within youf
and I will take away the fony heart out ofyourfefi,
and I will give you an heart of fief), &c. Jer. xxxi.
33. But this flail be the covenant that I will malie
with the houfe of \{vit\, after thofe days, faith the
Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, aiid

. write

494 Faitlos plea upoti

write it in their hearts^ and "will be their God', arid
theyjhall be my people. Pfalm Ixxxix. throughout.
It is called a covenant of grace j becaufe grace is
the beginning and the end, the foundation and
top-ftone of it, even grace reigning through righ-
teoufnefs. It is called a covenant of mercy ; be-
caufe, therein, mercy to the miferable is proclaimed
through juftice-fatisfying blood ; for there 7ne7xy
and truth meet together, and all the Jure mercies of
David are conveyed thereby. It is called a cove-
nant of peace and reconciliation j becaufe it both
treats of peace with God, and makes it good. It
is called a covenant of promife ; becaufe it lies iii
promifes with reference to us, and thefe to be ac-
complifhed upon the condition already fulfilled in
Chrift's obedience and fatisfadion ; and becaufe
therein the faithfulnefs of God is pledged, for ma-
king out all the promifes to believers, the children
of promife. It is called a covenant of fait; be-
caufe it is an incorruptible word, an everlafting co^
vejiant, well ordered in all things and Jure. In a
word, it is a covenant of help to poor helplefs
finners, faying, I have laid help upon one that is
7mghty. O Ifrael, thou hafi defiroyed thyfeJf, but in
7ne is thy help. It is a covenant of pardon to the
guilty, laying, /, even /, am he that blotteth out thy
traiifgrcjjions for 7mne own fake, and I will itot re-
jnember thy fins. It is a covenant of fupply to the
needy, faying, When the poor and 7ieedy feek water,
and there is 7ione, and their tongue faileth for thirft,
I, the Lord, will hear them, I, the God of Ifrael,
will 7iot forfake them. It is a covenant of gifts,
wherein grace and glory are freely given ; and, in
the difpcnfation thereof, God fays. Come, and take
all freely, himfelf, his Chrift, his fpirit, and all,
"Rev, xxil. 17. If a, Iv. I,

2dly^

God's 'word and covenant. 495

2.dly. Shew what it is for God to have refpedt
to the covenant, i. God hath refpedl to the co-
venant when he remembers it, and fo remembers
us, as in that forecited L^i;. xxvi. 42. I "JDill re-
member my covenant^ and then will I remember the
land,. Thus Pfalm cxi. 5. He hath given meat to
them that fear him. Why, he will ever be mind-
ful of his covenant. If he come to give us meat
to feed our fouls at this occalion, the ground will
be, he will be mindful of his covenant, mindful
of his promife.

2. God may be faid to have refpedl to his co-
venant, when he regards it. He hath no reafon
to have refped: or regard to us, but he fees reafon
to have a regard to his covenant ; he puts honour
upon it, for reafons that I {liall afterwards fhew,
only I'll fay here, his honour is engaged therein,
therefore he fays, My covenant will I not break,
nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips^
Pfalm Ixxxix. 34. He hath more regard to it
than he hath to heaven and earth ; for he fays,
Heaveii and earth fiall pafs aiva)\ but ??jy word fiall
not pafs away. He hath fuch a regard to it, tliat
he will never break it, but ever keep it.

3. He hath refped: to his covenant, when he
eflablifhes it. And when we pray, that he would
have refped: to the covenant, we not only pray
he would remember the covenant, and regard the
covenant, but eftabliih the covenant betv/ixt him
and us, as he faid to Abraham^ Gen. xvii. 7. /
will eJiabliJJj it between me and thee, and thy feed af-
ter thee. He fliews refpedt to the covenant, when
he makes the covenant take hold of us, and makes
us take hold of the covenant 3 for then he makes
us put refpe<il: upon him, and upon his covenant.

4.. He

49 6 FaitFs plea upon

4. He hath refpedt to the covenant, when he
performs the covenant-promifes, according to Mt~
cah vii. laft^ T^hou wilt perform the truth to 'Jacobs
and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hafi fworn to
our fathers from the days of old, when he a<£ls ac-
cording to the covenant, or according to the mer-
cy that made the promife, and the truth that is
engaged to make out the promife. In fhort, the
fum of this prayer, as it concerns the import of
the word refpeB, have refpett to the covenant, is.
Lord, remember the covenant, and fo remember
me ; Lord, have regard to the covenant, and let
me be remembred on this ground, when there is
no other reafon why I fhould be regarded 3 Lord,
eftabiifh thy covenant with me, and fo put hon-
our upon thy name manifefled in that covenant,
and do to me according to the promife of the co-
venant. Caufe me to hope in thy word, and then
remember the word, on which thou haft caufed me to
hope, and deal with me, not according to my lin
and defert, but according to thy covenant and
mercy in Chrift Jefus.

'^dly. Shew what it is in the covenant he hath
a refpe(fl to, or that we fhould plead upon. i.
Have refpeSl to the coven a?it j that is, to the Medi-
ator of the covenant : though thou oweft no re-
fpedl to me, yet doft thou not owe refpe6t, and
haft thou not a great refpedt to the Mediator of
the covenant, to Chrift, whom thou haft given to
be a covenant of the people ? For his fake let me
be pitied ; have refped: to the relation he bears to
the covenant, even to him who is the Mediator,
Teftator, Witnefs, Meffenger, Surety, and All of the
covenant. Have refped: to his offices, and let him
get the glory of his faving offices. It is a ftrong
plea to plead v/ith God upon the refpedt he bears

God's word a?id covenant, 497

to Chrift ; God cannot get over fuch a plea as
that. He muft own his regard and refped: to
Chrifl, who paid fuch refped: to him, 2i\\AfiniJhed
the work he gave hi?7i to do.

2. Have rcfpe6t to the covenant, by having re-i
fped: to the blood of the covenant. The blood
©f Chrift, that is reprefcnted in the facrament of
the flipper, is the blood of the covenant, called
^he neix) tcjlajiient hi his blood ; becaufe all the pro-
mifes are fealed therewith, and fo yea and amen in
Chriji : this is the condition of the new covenant.
The covenant of works had only the adive obe-
dience of the firft Adam for its condition .; but the
condition of the covenant of grace properly, is
both the adiive and paffive obedience of the fecond
Ada?n, his doing and dying. Now, Lord, have
refpe(it to that blood that fealed the covenant 5
fmce the condition is fulfilled to thy infinite fatis-
fadion, let the promifed good be conferred up-
on me.

3. Have refped: to the covenant, by having
refped: to the oath of the covenant, Heb. vi. 17.
The promife is confirmed with the oath of God j
i'hat by two immutable things, wherein it is im-
pojjible for God to lie, we might have firong confola-
tion, &c. Now, Lord, wilt thou not have re-
fped: to thy own oath ? Hail thou not fworn by thy
holinefs, thou wilt not lye unto David"^

4. Have refped: to the covenant, by having a
refped; to the properties of the covenant. This
would be a large field ; but 1 fum it up in l few
words. Have refped: to the covenant -, that is.
Lord, have refped: to the fulnefs of the covenant,
and let me be fupplied, for there is enough there,
it contains all fny fahation, and all my dejire^ Have
refped: to the freedom of the covenant, and let

K k file,-

49 8 Faith" 5 plea upon

me, however unworthy, fhare of the grace that
runs freely thence. Have refpe(5t to the ftability
of the covenant, and let me be pitied, though un-
liable as water, and infirm, yet the covenant
flands faft ; remember thy word, that endures for
ever. Have refpedl to the order of the covenant,
that is well ordered in all things^ as well as fiire»
though my houfe be not fo with God^ fays David, yet
he hath inade with me an everlajling covenant, well
ordered in all things, and Jure. Though my houfe be
out of order, and heart out of order, and my
frame out of order, and all be in confufion with
me, yet fee, according to thy covenant, to order
all well.

A^thly. To fhew what kind of a refped: he hath
to the covenant, that we may be the more engaged
to plead upon it. i. He hath a great and high
refpedl to the covenant. It is the covenant of the
great God with his great and eternal Son, for the
honour and glory of his great name j and therefore
he cannot but have a great and high refped: unto
it. His great name is manifefted in it -, and there-
fore, when we plead his refped to the covenant,
we plead, in efledt, faying. What wilt thou do for
thy great name ?

2. He hath a dear and lovely refpedt to the co-
venant 5 for it is the covenant of his grace and
love, wherein he fliews his infinite love to Chrift,
and through him to a company of wretched fin-
ners. It is a covenant of kindnefs, Ifa. liv. lo.
My kiiidtiefs Jljall not depart from thee, neither Jkall
the covenant of my peace be removed, faith the Lord
that hath mercy on thee, intimating his covenant of
peace is a covenant of kindnefs, wherein he mani-
fefls his df'areft love j therefore he hath a dear re-
fned to it.

3. He

God's word and covenant. 499

3* He hath a full refpe(ft to the covenant, a
refped: to every promife of it j 'They are all yea and
a7nen^ to the glory of God, 2 Cor. i. 20. He hath
a refped: to all of them, becaufe they are all yea
and amen^ and becaufe they are all thus ratified
in Chrift, to the glory of God. He hath a re-
fped to every article of the covenant, not a jot
Jhallfall to the ground,

4. He hath an everlafting refped to the cove-
nant, therefore it is called an everlajling cove?iant 5
it is fecured by an everlafting righteoufnefs j it is
made between everlafting parties j it is repleni-
fhed with everlafting bleflings ; it is rooted in
his everlafting love : therefore he is ever mindful
of his covenant, and will never ceafe to have a
refped to it.

Why fay you then, what need we pray and
plead, that he would have refped: to his covenant ?
Why, if it be fure that he hath, and v/ill for e-
ver have, a refped to the covenant, then we may
pray with the more affurance and confidence 5 fo
that there is here ftrong footing for our prayer :
but befides, when we pray, and fay, Have refpeB
unto the covenant, we feek, that he would Jhew
the refped that he hath unto it, that he would
fhew and make it manifeft unto us, that we may
have the faith of it, and enjoy the fruits of it, and
the blefiled effeds of that refped to it, in our par-
ticipation of the bleflings thereof.

^thly. To ftiew why he will have refped: to his
covenant ; and confequently, whence it is fuch a
fuitable plea and argument for us. Why,

I . When he hath refped to the covenant, he
hath refped to himfelf, the framer of it he owns
himfelf to be, Pfalm Ixxxix. 3. / have made a co-
venant ivith my chojen. Why then, the ftrength of

K k 2 the

^00 Faith's plea upoH

the plea is, Have refpeB to the covenant^ and fb
have refped: to thyfelf, and thy own glorious name
and attributes, and let them be glorified, in fliew-
ing regard to the covenant. Have refpecl to thy
wifdom, that fliines in the contrivance of the co-
venant, the manifold wifdom of God^ yea, the wif-
dom of God in a my fiery that here appears. Have
refped: to thy power, that (liines in the efficacy
of the covenant, not only for over-powering prin-
cipalities and powers, but overcoming thyfelf, and
the power of thine own wrath, by the power of
thy love. Have refped; to thy holinefs, that fliines
in the holy oath of Jehovah, by which it is con-
firmed, and the holy obedience of Jefus, by
which it is fulfilled; that, as by the finful dif-
obedience of one, many were made finners, fo by the
holy obedience of another glorious one, many are
made ?'ighteous. Have refped: to thyjuftice, that
fhines in the blood of the covenant, the facrifice
by which juflice hath condign and infinite fatis-
fadlion. Have refped: to thy mercy and grace,
that reigns through this righteoufnefs to eternal
life. Have refped to thy truth and faithfulnefs,
that fhines in accomplifhing all the promifes of
the covenant, upon the ground of Chrifl's having
fulfilled the condition. Have refped: unto thy e-
ternity and immutability in the unchangeablenefs
of the covenant j fhew that thou art God, and
changefl not. Thus have refped: to thyfelf. '!*
2. When he hath refped: to the covenant, he
hath refped: to his Son, Chrif, the center of it,
and in whom it ftands fall, as he owns Pfahn
Ixxxix. 28. My covenant pall ft and fafi with hi tn.
Why then, the flrength of the plea is. Have re^
fpeSl to the covenant, and fo fhew refped to thy
Son : Have relped to him in his perfon^ as he is

. ^ thy

God's word and covenant, 5 o t

thy Son and our Saviour, Enunanuel^ God-man,
in his divinity, wherein he his equal with God >
in his humanity, wherein he his the mafter-piece
of God's work. Have refped: to him in his pur-
chafe, which is the fubftance of the covenant
bought with his blood. Have refpedt to his death
and refurredion ^ for thou loveft him on this ac-
count, "Johii X. 17. 'Therefoj-e doth the Father love
?ne, becmife I lay down my life, that 1 may take it
up again ; where we fee that Chrift, as dying and
riling in the room of his people, is the objed: of
the Father's love, delight and efleem. Have re-
fped: unto his interceffion, wherein he prays for
all the bleflings of the covenant that he hath pur-
chafed : doth not the Father hear him always ?
Have refpedt to his commiffion, which is fealed
by thee ; for him hath God the Father fealed y anoint-
ed, and authorized unto all faving offices, relations
and appearances : let him get the glory of all
thefe. O, ftrong plea !

3. When he hath refped to the covenant, he
hath refped: to his fpirit, the great applyer of the
covenant-bleffings, and executor of the teftament,
fealed with the blood of Chrift, and by whoiA
covenant-love is flied abroad upon the heart, Rom.
V. 5. Why then, the ftrength of the plea is.
Have refpett to the covenayit ; that is, have refpedt
to thy own fpirit, that he may get the glory of
applying, by his power, what Chrifl hath purcha-
fed by his blood. Have refped to the promife
of the fpirit, that thou haft made, that when he
is come, hefiall convince the world of fin, right eoif-
nefs and judgment , and teftify of Chrift, and glori-
fy Chrift, by ftiewing the things of Chrift. Have
refped to the offices of the fpirit, as h? is a
convincer, fandifier and comforter, according to

K k 3 . tlie

502 FaitFs plea upon

the order and method of the covenant. Have re-
fpedt to the honour of the fpirit, v^ho is the all
in all of the covenant, in point of power, and
powerful manifeftation, communication and ope-
ration. Have refped: to the relations of the fpirit,
as he is the fpirit of the Father and of the Son,
the fpirit of the covenant, and of all the cove-
nanted feed. Hence,

4. When he hath refpe<fl to the covenant, he
hath refped: to his people on the account of the
covenant of promife j for they, as Ifaac was, are
the children of promife, GaL iv. 28. Why then,
the ftrength of the plea and argument here is,
Lord, Have rejpeB to the covetiant^ and fo fhew
regard and refped to us. We have no confidence
to claim any refpe<5l at thy hand, but merely upon
the account of the refped: tliou hall; to thy cove-»
nant. Have refped to our perfons on this ground,
fince the covenant provides acceptance i?i the be-
loved, Eph. i. 6. Look upon us in the face of
thine anointed, and in the glafs of the new cove-
nant. Have refped to our prayers and performan-
ces on this ground, lince the covenant hath provi-
ded much incenfe, to perfume the prayers and
offerings of all faints, upon the golden altar that is
before the throne, Rev. viii. 3. Have refped to
our tears, when we figh and groan, mourn,
and weep before thee, lince the covenant provides
a bottle for our tears, Pfalm Ivi, 8. Put thou my
tears in thy bottle. Have refped: to our needs on
this ground, when we are hardned, that we can
neither pray nor weep, nor fhed a tear, iince the
covenant provides fupply to the poor and needy,
Phil. iv. 19. My God Jhall fupply all your yieed^ ac-
cording to his ricbeSy in glory , by Chriji yefus.

6thlv. I

GocTs word a72d covena?it, ^03

tthly. I would make fonie application in thefe
four words, i. Hence fee a mark and characfter
of true believers, that are fit for a communion-
table, they are of God's mind ; he hath a refpecft
to the covenant, and they have a refpe(5t unto the
covenant j and hence they know what it is to plead
with God, upon the refped: that he hath to the co-
venant J they could not do fo, if they had not
a high refped: to it themfelves j they have fuch a
refped: to the covenant in kind as God hath : they
have a great refped to it, io as they efteem it more
than all things in a world j they would not give
one promife of it, on which they have been caufed
to hope, for all the gold of Ophir -, they have a
dear and kindly refped to it, as all their falvatioii
and all their defire, yea, and all their delight alio.
The word of grace is fweeter to them than the ho-
ney and the honey-comb. They have a full and uni-
verfal refped to it, and to all the promifes of it ;
they refped the promife of purity, as well as the
promife of pardon, the promife of falvation from
fin, as well, and as much, as the promife of fal-
vation from hell ; the promife of holinefs, as well
as of happinefs. As they have a refped to all
God's commandments, fo they have a refped to
all his promifes j and particularly as Daijid had
his golden pfalms, fo they have their golden pro-
mifes, that they are made to hing upon. Yea, they
have an everlafling refped to the covenant, and
to the promifes thereof, even when their frame
fails them ; when their fweet enjoyments fail them,
yet their refped to the covenant remains, and their
refped to the Maker of the covenant, to the Media-
tor of the covenant, to the blood and oath of the
covenant, to the fpirit of the covenant, and to
the bleflings and benefits of it. They have an

K k 4 ever-

504 FaitU s plea upon

everlafting refpedl to the grace of the covenant of
grace j they are adorers and admirers of free grace.
They have an everlailmg refpedt to, and remem-
brance of, the words of the covenant, particularly
thefe words, that have been let in with any life and
power upon their foul, or that they have been caufed
to hope upon ; whatever they forget, they can ne-
ver forget fuch a word, that brought life to their
fouls 5 I will never forget thy words, fays David ;
for by them thou hajl quichied me. They have fuch
an evcrlafting refped: to the covenant, that, when
they have nothing in the world to hold to, they
will hing by the covenant, and hold fail fuch a
promife, and plead upon it, faying. Lord, Have
refpeB to the covenant.

2. Hence we may fee the mifery of thefe that
are unbelievers, and xt\xs.2iv[\jlr angers to the covenant
vf projnife, and have no refpecl to the covenant.
It is mifery enough, that God hath no refped: to
you ; no refped: to your perfons nor prayers, as it
is faid. To Cain and his offering God had no refpedf.
Gen. iv. 5. So God hath no refped either to your
perfons or performances, they are an abomination
to him. Your prayers to him are but like the
howling of a dog, if you have never taken hold of
his covenant, nor (ttn. the refped that God hath
to the covenant. You have no rcfped to God,
while you have no refped to that, which he re-
fpeds fo highly : and as he hath no refped to your
perfons or performances, fo he hath no refped to
your tears, they never flowed from faith's views of
a pierced Chrift. He hath no refped to your
fouls, the redemption thereof ceafeth for ever, be-
caufe you have no due refped to the Redeemer's
blood and righteoufnefs. He hath no refped to
your communicating, nay he difapproves of it,

and

GocFs word mid covenant. 505
and difcharges you to fit down at his table, on pe-
ril of eating and drinking your own damnation.
God hath no regard nor refpe^t to your lah^ation,
becaufe you have no regard nor rcfpedl to the Sa-
viour, he hath provided and offered. God thinks
as httle to damn you, as you think Httle to difhon-
our him. God thinks as Httle of you, as you
think little of fin, and he hath as little refped; to
you, as you have little refpe(fl to Chrifl and to
the covenant. Wo to you, if you remain in this
cafe ; for the day is coming wherein God will,
before all the world, fhew no more refped: to you,
than to fay to you, Tiepart from me^ ye ciirfed^ iii^
to everlafting fire, &c. But,

3 . Hence we may fee the happinefs of believers,
that have fuch a refpe(5t to the covenant, as I was
fpeaking of, a great, dear, full, and perpetual re-
fpedl to it, and to the Mediator of it, who have
taken hold of the covenant through grace, and
who know what it is to take hold of God in the
covenant, to take hold of God in a promife, and
to hold him by his word, and hing upon him in
it, faying, Lord, Have refpeB to the covenant ^ here
is your great happinefs, God hath a refped; to
you : what refped: ? Even to your perfons and
offerings, as it is faid of Abel, Gen. iv. 4. God
had a refped to him and to his offerings. Tho*
you be faying in your heart, O ! how can he
have a refped to me, black and vile, and guil-
ty me ? Why ? not for your fake indeed, be it
known unto you, but for his covenant's fake, and
his name's fake. He hath a refped: to your pray-
ing, and praifing, and communicating; becaufe
he hath a refped: to the covenant. He hath a re-
fped to your name. Tho' the 7iame of the wicked
f.'dl rot J youi- name fiall be in everlafting remem-
brance ;

5o6 Fak/js plea upon

brance-, for God hath put his name in you, feme-
thing of Chrifl in you, fomething of the covenant
in you. Some obferve, when Abram\ name
was turned to Abraham^ that there was fome of
the letters of the name Jehovah put in Abrams
name. Indeed God gives the beUever a new name,
that he hath a refpecS unto. He hath a refped to
your fuits and fuppUcations, I have heard Ephr aim
be7noaning himfclf. O I my dove, that art in the
c lifts of the rock^ &c. Let me hear thy voice ^ . Sec.
He hath refpedt to his crooning doves, v/hen pou-
ring out their hearts before him, that voice that
the world laughs at, God hath a refpect to it. He
hath a refpect to your blood ; precious in his iight
is the blood of his faints. He hath a refpect to
your fouls j and hence he gave his blood to be a
ranfom for them : and when your fouls languifli,
he fends his fpirit to reilore them ; and v/hen you
die, he will fend his angels to bring them to hea-
ven. He hath a refpect to your bodies : you ought,
leing bought 'with a price, to glorify him in your
fouls and bodies, which are his. When your bo-
dy goes to the dufb, he will take care of that duft,
and loofe nothing of you, but raife you up at the
lafl day, and make your vile bodies like unto his glo-
rious body J a7id fo fiall ye be ever with the Lord.
He hath a refpect to you, fuch a refpect that he
puts honour upon you ; Si7ice thou wajl precious in
7?iyfghf, thou haft been honourable. He hath made
you kings and priefls to your God. facob was
crowned a prince on the field of battle, the field
of prayer, when he wreilled with the angel and
prevailed, as a prince. The poor wreftling man
is a prince, and the poor wreftling woman a prin-
cefs, in God's fight ; 'This is the honour of all the
faints. They have power with God, and there-
fore

God's 'word and covenant, ' 507

fore no wonder then they have power over the na-
tions^ to rule them with a rod oj iron % they judge
and torment them that dwell upon the earthy even
Iiere : and know you fioty that hereafter the faints
Jl:aU judge the world. God hath a refpecl to you,
and he will fliew it in due time ; becaufe he hath
a refpect to the covenant, and fills your heart with
a refpect to it alfo.

4. Hence fee the duty incumbent upon us, in
pleading with God for his favour, prefence and
bleifing, let us go to him both in fecret prayer,
and in folemn approaches to his table, crying.
Lord, Have refpeB to the covenatit. I know not a
cafe you can be in, but the covenant exhibites a
cure, and you are allowed to plead it, Rzek. xxxvi.
37. After many precious new covenant promifes,
it is faid. For this will I be enquired of by the houfe
of Ifrael^ to do it for them^ and how are we to en-
quire but by pleading the refpect he hath to the
covenant. Have you a polluted heart with the
filth of fin, a polluted confcience with the guilt
of fin ? Why, here is an article of the covenanty
I will fprinkle clean water upon you ^ and ye fJjall be
clean : from all your flthiriefs, and from all your idols
will I cleanfe yoUy verfe 25. O then go to God for
cleanfing, and plead, faying, 0 Have refpedi to the
covenant. Have you the old hard ftony heart flill
within you, and would you have it renewed and
foftned ? Here is an article of the covenant^ A new
heart will I give you^ and a new fpirit will I put
within you, I will take away the fiony heart out of
yourfefi, and I will give you an heart of fiefh. O
then go to God, and plead it, faying, Have refpedi
to the cove?2ant. Are you deftitute of the fpirit,
fenfual, not having the fpirit ? Do you find fuch
a want of the fpirit, that you cannot walk in

God's

508 FaitFs plea upon

God's way ? Well, there is an article of the rc^'t'-
72^/zf here, verje 2.J. I ivill put my fpirit ^within you^
and caufi you to walk in my ftatutes. O plead for
this great bieffing, and fay, Lord, Ha'-oe refpeSl to
the covenant.

In a word, when you confider what kind of a
linner you are, confider alfo what kind of a cove^.
nant this is, it is enough to fay, that it is a Corne-
ll ant of grace, of all fort of grace, for all fort of
linners that are out of hell. Are you under dread-
ful guilt ? Flere is a covenant of pardoning grace,
faying, / will blot out thy Jin as a cloudy and thy
tranfgrcjjiom as a thick cloud : return to me^ for I
have redeemed thee^ Ifa. xliv. 22. O then plead
that he may Have refpeB to the covenant. Are you
under fearful pollutions ? O here is a covenant of
purifying grace, faying, 'There is a fountain! opened
to the houfe of David afid the inhabitants of ferufa-
Jem for fin and for uncleannejs. O then plead he
may Uaroe refpeB to the covenant. Are you in
darknefs and ignorance, having no knowledge of
God ? O here is a covenant of enlightning grace,
faying, T^hey fiall be all taught of God, O then
plead it, faying, Lord, Have refpeB to the covenant.
Are you under deadnefs, and like dead and dry
bones ? O here is a covenant of quickening grace,
faying, / am come to give life^ and to give it more
abundantly. T^he hour co7neth when the dead fl:all
hear the voice of the Son of God^ and they that hear
Jhall live, O then plead that he may Have refpeB
to the covenant. Are you in confufion, and know
not what way to take ? O here is a covenant of di-
recting grace, faying, / will bring the blind by a
way they know iwt^ I will lead them in paths that
they have not known : I will make darknefs light be-
fore thcm^ a?id crooked, things fir aight . Are you un-
der

Gotfs m.wrd and covena?it, 509

der (ad plagues and foul difeafes, over-run with
fores from the crown of the head to the fole of
the foot? O here is a covoiant of healing grace,
faying, The Jim of right eonjhifs pall arifc with heal-
ing in his wi?2gs. I am the Lord that healeth thee, I will
heal your backjli dings. O then plead, faying, Lord,
Ma've refpeB to the covenaJit. Are you in extreme
danger of hell and damnation, becaufe of your
fin and guilt ? O here is a covenant of delivering
grace, faying. Deliver his foul from going down to
the pit, for I have found a ra?}fom. O then plead
it, and fay, Lord, Have refpeB to the covenant.
Are you in bondage unto fin, fatan and the world,
a captive unto lufts, and fliut up in unbelief as in
a prifon ? O here is a covenant of liberating grace !
proclaiming, liberty to the captives, and the open-
ing of the prifon to them that are bound. Are
you a ftupid foul, that cannot move toward God,
nor ftir heaven-ward, by reafon of a backward
will, like a brazen gate, that refills all the force of
moving means ? Well ^ but, O here is a covenant
of drawing grace, faying, JVhen I am lifted up, I
will draw all men unto me. As the power and vir-
tue of the load-ftone draws the iron, fo the virtue
of an exalted Chrifl draws the iron bar of the
will. Thy people fd all be willing in the day of thy
power. O then plead it, faying, Lord, Have re^^
fpeSl to the covenant. ■'^'■^^^' ^.*

What other concerns have you ? Are you con-
cerned for your children, that they may be parta-
kers of covenant bleflings, and faved of the Lord ?
O here is a covenant of extenfive grace, intailing
blefiings on us and our offspring, faying, I will be
thy God, and the God of thy feed. O then look to
God in behalf of your children, faying, Lord,
Have refpeSf to the covenant. Are you concerned

for

5 1 o FaitFs plea upon

for the church, and the dangerous circumflances
fhe is in, by reafon of cruel enemies ? This feems
to be the great concern of the pfalmijl here, as
appears from the body of the pfalm, and the
words following the text : For the dark places of
the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. Thefe
that live in darknefs of ignorance and error, and
in the works of darknefs, are full of cruelty a-
gainft the church and people of God, and they
are furrounded with them, infomuch that the
church is like a lilly among thorns, or a flieep a-
mong wolves, what fliall become of it ? Why,
here is a covenant of defence, and of defending and
protecting grace, faying, Upon all the glory there
fdall be a defence ; therefore even when enemies
break doism the carved work with axes and hammers^
verfe 6. When they are calling /^r<? into the fanSiu-
ary, verfe 7. When they are faying, Let us dejiroy
them together^ verfe 8. Yea, when it fliall come
to this, that a bloody fword that is raging abroad
fhall come over to us, and that foreign or do-
meftick enemies, or both, fliall devour and deftroy,
and may be burn up all the fynagogucs of God in the
land^ as it is verfe 8. And when we fliall not fee
curfgns, ^nd there is ?io more any prophet^ x\.ox any
among us that know the time how long^ verfe 9. In
all fuch cafes, what courfe fliall we take, but that
of the pfahnift here ? Lord, Have refpeSi unto the
covena7it.

Are you concerned about inward enemies, fpi-
ritual enemies, and moleiled with the powers of
darknefs ? Is your heart full of the habitations of
crueltv, and fearfully inhabited with cruel devils,
cruel lufls, cruel corruptions, that mafler and con-
quer, and prevail againft you, fo as you lye many
a time wounded and dead at the enemy's feet ? O

here

God's word and covejtajit, 511

liere is a covenant of iin-conquering grace, not on-
ly a covenant of Tnercy to your foul, but of ven-
geance to your lufts, faying, lihe day of ve?igeance
is in 7mne hearty the year of jny redeemed is come^
Ifa. Ixiii. 4. O then cry down the promifed venge-
ance on all your cruel foul enemies, faying, Lord,
Have rejpe^t to the covenant.

Are you concerned about your foul poverty and
indigency, not only as oppreffed with enemies
without and within, but oppreffed with wants and
neceffities, being abfolutely poor and needy, and
dsflitute of all good ? O here is a covenant of foul
fupplying grace, and of all needful provilion, fay-
ing, When the poor and 7ieedy feek water, and there
is none, and their tongue faileth for thirjl, I the Lord ~
will hear them, I the God of facoh will ?2Gt for fake
them, I will pour water up07i him that is thi?fly, and
floods upon the dry ground. O then plead the cove^
nant, as the pfalmiji here in the following verfe, O
let not the oppreffed return afiamed : let the poor and
7ieedy praife thy name. Have refpe^i U7ito the cove-
nant.

In a word, let your cafe be the worft cafe out
of hell, this cove7iant contains all falvation as a
CGve7iant of grace, of all grace, of all fort of grace
for all fort of linners, and of all fort of cures for
all fort of cafes; and if you can get yourfelf
wrapped within the bond of this covenant by be-
lieving and pleading it -, then )^ou draw God up-
on your intereft, fo that your concern is his con-
cern, your intereft is his intereft, your caufe is his
caufe, as t\\& pfalmifl fliews here, verfe 22. Arife,
O God, plead thine own caufe. It ftands upon his
honour, and he will do his own work in his own
time. If ever you got grace to draw a bill upon
God as a covenanting promifing God in Chrifl:,
and have any bills lying tabled before the throne,

and

5 1 2 Faiths plea upon^ ^c,

• and are fometimes unable to plead and purfue the
bill, with a Lord, Have reJpeSl unto the coveriant :
you have the flrongeft encouragement to wait on
him, and expect his anfwering the bill in due
timci foi* he will rather work marveloufly, and
create new worlds, rather turn all things to nothing,
than quit his concern in, or give up with his re-
fpelf U7ito the covenant.

Are you concerned for the advancement of the
kingdom of Chrifl in the earth, as you ought to be ?
Here is a covenant of grace to the 'Jews^ and grace
to the Gentiles, grace to the Heathen nations, fay-
ing, I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance,
and the utter mofi parts of the earth for thy pojjef/ion.
Are you concerned about generations to come, a-
bout the rifing generation, when there is little
hope of the prefent ? O here is a covenant of grace
to fucceeding generations till the end of the world,
faying, / will make thy name to be remembred iii all
generations -, therefore Jhall the people praife thee for
ever and ever.

Are you concerned about your latter end, and
how it fhall fare with you, when in the fwellings
of Jordan, how you will fight the laft battle ? O
here is a covenafit of death-conquering grace, fay-
ing, Death fiall be fwallowed up in viBory, &c.
Are you concerned about a gofpel miniftry, and
thoughtful whether it Ihall be continued ? There
is many a word in this covenant about it 5 but efpe-
cially that, ChiHJi is exalted to maintain and fupport
a gofpel difpenfation to the end of the world. Matt.
xxviii. 20. Whatever fpot of the earth he chufe or
refufe, he having afcended on high, hath received
gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious alfo, that the
Lord God might dwell among them, Pfal. Ixviii. 1 8.

FINIS.

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